US3811035A - Fluid delivery control system - Google Patents

Fluid delivery control system Download PDF

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US3811035A
US3811035A US00260249A US26024972A US3811035A US 3811035 A US3811035 A US 3811035A US 00260249 A US00260249 A US 00260249A US 26024972 A US26024972 A US 26024972A US 3811035 A US3811035 A US 3811035A
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register
fluid
bcd
operable
delivery subsystem
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P Brunone
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Veeder Industries Inc
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
    • B67D7/06—Details or accessories
    • B67D7/08—Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred
    • B67D7/22—Arrangements of indicators or registers
    • B67D7/224—Arrangements of indicators or registers involving price indicators
    • B67D7/227—Arrangements of indicators or registers involving price indicators using electrical or electro-mechanical means
    • B67D7/228—Arrangements of indicators or registers involving price indicators using electrical or electro-mechanical means using digital counting

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  • Chilton 57 ABSTRACT A fuel dispensing system adapted for self-service operation as well as conventional operation with a service station attendant.
  • the system comprises a plurality of delivery subsystems, each adapted to selectively deliver a plurality of different grades of gasoline, and a remote control subsystem adapted to be manned for controlling the operation of each of the delivery subsystems.
  • the control subsystem is connected to each delivery subsystem such that the cost, volume and grade of gasoline of each delivery can be selectively displayed at themanned remote control station.
  • the present invention generally relates to fluid dispensing systems and more particularly to a new and improved fluid dispensing control system having notable utility in self-service gasoline stations for controlling the delivery of gasoline at each of a plurality of delivery pumps and providing delivery information for determining the charges to self-service customers.
  • the gasoline dispensing system comprises a plurality of delivery subsystems or pumps 10 (only oneof which being shown in the drawings) which are independently operable for individually delivering each of three gasoline grades or products designated A, B and C.
  • Each product delivery system 11 of each pump 10 comprises-in a conventional manner a fuel pump 12 driven by a motor l4'for delivering the gasoline product via a suitable electromagnetic control valve 16 and meter 18 to a fuel delivery nozzle 20 (the nozzle 20 for product A being the only nozzle shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity).
  • the output shaft 22 of each meter 18 drives a pulse generator 24 to generate a pulse train having a pre-established number of pulses (eg one hundred) for each pre-established unit vol ume (e.g. one gallon) of fuel dispensed.
  • the pulse generators 24 are connected in parallel to a pulse generator selector 26 which is selectively operable for selectively connecting the pulse generators to a multiplier 28.
  • the multiplier 28 forms a part of a price computing device 30 of the type shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,696,236 of Crawford M. Ku's dated Oct. 3, ,1972 and entitled Computing Device.
  • the computing device 30 comprises a separate price selector 32 for each gasoline product which is preset to preestablish the unit volume price of the gasoline product.
  • the price selectors 32 are selectively activated to control the multiplier 28 and such that the multiplier generates an output pulse train in its output transmission lead 34 having a number of pulses in accordance with the volume of fuel dispensed and the pr e-established unit volume price of the selected product.
  • a five decade cost accumulator 36 is driven by the multiplier output pulse train to accumulate the cost of fuel delivered, and a five digit cost indicator 38 is operated by BCD readout leads of the cost accumulator 36 via suitable decoderdriver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the cost of fueldispensed.
  • a five decade volume accumulator 42 is driven by the selected pulse generator output pulse train to accumulate the volume of fuel delivered, and a' five digit volume indicator 44 is operated'by BCD readout leads of the volume accumulator 42' via decoder-driver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the volume of fuel dispensed.
  • a price indicator 50 is operated by the active price selector 32 via BCD readout leads of the price selector and decoder-driver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the preestablished unit volume price of the selected gasoline product.
  • a suitable electromagnetic totalizer 54 is provided for each of the three available products for accumulating the volume dispensed of the respective fuel product, and the three totalizers 54 are selectively operated in-accordance with the selectedfuel product.
  • Each fuel delivery nozzel 20 is stored in a suitable nozzle storage receptacle 60 between deliveries.
  • a switch 64 is associated with each nozzle storage recep tacle 60 to sense the removal of the nozzle from and return of the nozzle to its storage receptacle.
  • a suitable lever 66 is shown adapted to be operated by the nozzle 20 for operating the switch64.
  • the three nozzle operated switches 64 are connected via a suitable selector matrix 70 such that the matrix output lead 71, 72 or 73 corresponding to the nozzle which is first removed is energized.
  • the selector matrix 70 preferably provides that all three nozzles 20 m'ust be in their storage receptacles before one of the matrix output leads 7I-73 can be subsequentlyenergized by removing the corresponding nozzle from its storage receptacle.
  • the selector matrix output leads 71-73 are connected to a product selector which is adapted to be selectively set (and remain set until subsequently reset) in accordance with the active (or energized) selector matrix output lead 71-73 to energize a corresponding product selector lead 81, 82 or 83.
  • the product selector 80 is connected via its selector leads 81-83 to operate the pulse generator selector 26 and activate the appropriate price selector 32 and totalizer 54 in accordance with the active fuel nozzle 20.
  • the product selector 80 is connected to a delivery control circuit 86 to activate the corresponding product delivery system 11 when the delivery control circuit 86 is set in its On condition.
  • Each pump has a transmitter 90 for transmitting the current cost, volume and product information of the pump to a control subsystem 100 which is manually controlled during self-service operation of the fuel system for controlling the operation of each pump and properly charging each customer for the amount of fuel received.
  • the transmitter 90 is connected to receive BCD signals of the cost and volume information from the cost and volume accumulators 36, 42 and is connected to receive a product signal from the product selector 80.
  • the transmitter 90 provides for transmitting the current cost, volume and product information to the control subsystem 100 via three signal transmission leads 101-103 which respectively transmit serial data signals, clock signals and synchronization signals.
  • the control subsystem 100 comprises a receiver 110 and a pump selector 112 which is adapted to be selectively operated to selectively connect the pump transmitters 90 to the receiver 110.
  • the control-subsystem 100 is shown designed for use with three pumps identified by the Roman numerals I, 11 and 111, but as shall become-apparent could be designed for use with any desired number of pumps 10.
  • Selector buttons 114, one for each pump 10 are provided for operating the pump selector 112 and thereby connect the respective pump transmitter 90 to the receiver 110.
  • Slave or remote cost and volume indicators 116, 118 provide a visual readout or display of the cost and volume information of the selected pump and three lamps 120 are connected to be selectively energized for indicating the selected product at the selected pump.
  • a suitable manually operable printer 126 is connected to the receiver 110 for providing a printout or delivery record of the cost and volume information of the selected pump.
  • a start or authorization button 126 is provided for each pump for selectively activating the pump for delivering fuel, and a stop button 128 is provided for each pump for selectively de-activating the pump.
  • An acknowledgment lamp 129 provided for each pump is connected to be energized when the pump is activated for delivering fuel.
  • a nozzle lamp 130 provided for each pump is connected for (a) generating a flashing or intermittent light signal when a nozzle of the respective pump is removed before the pump is activated for delivering fuel, or (b) generating a steady light signal when both a pump nozzle has been removed and the pump is activated.
  • a mode selector 134 having an fR or remote control position and an L" or local control position is provided for respectively conditioning the entire fuel system for remote control at a suitably located manned control station (where the controls and visual indicators of the control subsystem 100 are located) for selfservice delivery of gasoline or for local control at each of the individual pumps 10 for attendant delivery of gasoline.
  • a mode selector 134 in remote control or R position when a selected start button 126 is momentarily depressed, a main pump control of the corresponding pump is set in its On condition and the main pump control 140 thereupon sets the pump delivery control 86 in its On condition to activate the pump.
  • the main pump control 140 also energizes the corresponding acknowledgment lamp 129 to signal that the pump has been activated.
  • the main pump control 140 When the mode selector 134 is in its L or local control position, the main pump control 140 is set in its On condition when one of the pump nozzles is removed. In either mode of operation, the main pump control 140 and the delivery control 86 are connected to be returned to their Off condition by momentarily depressing the respective stop button 128 or by returning the active nozzle to its storage receptacle (the nozzle operated switches 64 being connected via the selector matrix 70, an OR gate 146, an AND gate 148, a signal inverter 147, and a suitable single shot circuit 149 to deactivate the main pump control 140 and delivery control 86 when the active nozzle'is returned to its storage receptacle).
  • the AND gate 148 remains open while the pump is activated and the active nozzle 20 is withdrawn from its storage receptacle.
  • the AND gate 148 is suitably connected to maintain the nozzle lamp 130 continuously energized during such occurrence.
  • the AND gate 148 is also connected via a pair of suitable single-shot circuits 150 anda signal inverter 151 to reset a timer 152 (shown connected to be indexed by the computer oscillator 153) and, a display control 154 and a delay circuit each time the AND gate 148 is opened and each time the AND gate is closed.
  • the timer 152 is connected to step the delay circuit 160 for example every second and the delay circuit 160 functions to generate a signal after a predetermined delay of for example 4 seconds (i.e., four steps) after it has been reset.
  • a pump reset control 164 is connected to the delay circuit 160 and to the AND gate 148 such that the pump reset control is conditioned to reset the pump (i.e., reset the product selector 80 and the cost and volume accumulators 36, 42) when the pump is activated only if the pump has been de-activated for the predetermined delay established by the delay circuit 160. Such ensures that the pump is not inadvertently reset if the nozzle operated switch 64 is inadvertently cycled when returning the nozzle to the storage receptacle at the end of the delivery.
  • the pump reset control 164 will generate a reset signal to (a) reset the accumulators 36, 42 to 0 (such that the succeeding delivery will commence with 000.00, cost and volume displays) and (b) reset the product selector to condition the pump for delivering the selected product.
  • the timer 152 is also employed for generating a signal after a predetermined relatively long interval of for example 4 minutes for (a) automatically de-activating the pump for safety reasons after such a predetermined interval and (b) operating the display control 154 for automatically de-activating the cost, volume and price display indicators 38, 44 and 50 after such a predetermined interval after the pump has been de-activated.
  • liquid crystal indicators are employed, it has been found particularly desirable to automatically de-activate the indicators after a predetermined interval after the completion of a fuel delivery (and thus during the interval the pump remains inactive) in order to increase the life of the indicators.
  • the display control 154 is subsequently operated to activate the indicators 38, 44, 50 when the pump is activated and a nozzle is removed.
  • the timer 152 is also connected via a suitable AND gate 170 to provide an intermittent signal for intermittent operation of the respective nozzle lamp 130 when a nozzle is removed before the pump is activated.
  • the resulting flashing light signal is used for example to alert the attendant manning the control subsystem 100 that a customer wishes to deliver fuel from the pump represented by the flashing light.
  • the AND gate 170 and AND gate 148 are suitably connected to the respective nozzle lamp 130 such that the lamp 130 remains energized continually while the AND gate 148 is open and even though'the AND gate 170 is also intermittently opened. I
  • the pump transmitter 90 comprises a selector matrix 200 having eleven input binary signal groups shown designated by the numerals 1-11.
  • the first through fifth input signal groups are the BD signals from the cost accumulator decades in descending order.
  • the sixth through tenth input groups are BCD signals from the volume accumulator decades in descending order.
  • the eleventh input signal group provides a signal from the product selector 80 representing the active product.
  • the selector matrix 200 is operated by 12 control leads 201 from a sequencing circuit 202 to sequentially connect the input signal groups to a parallel to serial converter 204.
  • the twelfth control lead 201 is provided for connecting the product signal group to the parallel to serial converter 204- during the last two steps of the sequencing circuit 202.
  • the parallel-to-serial converter 204 is connected to be indexed by a second sequencing circuit 212 to serially transmit the' binary signals in each signal group over the serial data transmission lead 101.
  • Thecomputer oscillator 153 is shown connected to the sequencing circuit 212 to repeatedly cycle the sequencing circuit 212 through its four steps to repeatedly cycle the parallel to serial converter 204.
  • the oscillator which may, for example, have a 4 KC frequency, is also con nected to provide the'clock pulses transmitted via the clock transmission lead 102.
  • the sequencing circuit 212 is connected for stepping the sequencing circuit 202 at the end of each four step cycle of the circuit 212 such that the selector matrix 200 is indexed after the signals of each input signal group are transmitted serially to the serial data transmission lead 101.
  • the binary signals representing the cost, volume and product information are thereby transmitted serially via the serial data transmission lead 101 at a rate determined by the frequency of the oscillator 153.
  • the twelfth or last control lead 201 is also connected via a suitable delay circuit 214 and single shot circuit 216 to reset the sequencing circuits 202, 212 after the completion of one full cycle of the sequencing circuit 202 and to thereby reset the system for a succeeding data transmission cycle.
  • the lst control lead 201 is also connected to the synchronization signal transmission lead 103 to provide a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the receiver with the transmitter 90 at the beginning of each data transmission cycle and to thereby ensure that the transmitted binary signals are properly interpretted by the receiver.
  • a pump selector button 114 When a pump selector button 114 is momentarily depressed, the pump selector 1 12 is setto connect the serial data, clock and synchronization signal transmission leads 101-103 of the corresponding pump to the receiver 110.
  • a four bit shift register 230 is connected to the serial data and clock signal transmission leads 101, 102 to continually receive the transmitted binary signals.
  • a storage register 232 is connected to the shift register 230 for selectively storing the four binary signals in the shift register 230.
  • the storage register 232 is connected to a combined decoder driver and decoder driver control circuit 237 which is connected to each digit display 238 of the cost and volume display indicators 116, 118.
  • the digit displays 238 are, for example, 7-bar FIG. 8 type displays, in which event the decoder driver 237 would have seven output leads for energizing the digital displays 238 in accordance with the BCD signal in the storage register 232.
  • a counter 250and BCD decoder 254 are connected for timely energizing the digital displays 238 in sequence from left to right. Also,'a gate 257 is operated via an AND gate 259 by the counter readout leads for timely connecting three of the storage register readout leads for energizing the appropriate product lamp 120.
  • the counter 250 is connected to the single-shot circuit 236 to be indexed one step for each four clock pulses and, therefore, for each binary signal group transmitted to the storage register 232 and such that the digital displays 238 and the product lamp bank are activated in sequence and the digital displays 238 and product lamp bank are individually activated when he corresponding binary signal group is stored in the storage register 232.
  • the synchronization signal is transmitted via a suitable single-shot circuit 260 to reset the divider circuit 234 and counter 250 when the 1st binary signal group is stored in the storage register 232 and to thereby synchronize the activation of the cost and volume digit displays 238 and the product lamp bank with the transmission of the corresponding binary signal groups to the receiver 110.
  • the digit displays 238 are pulsed once for each data transmission cycle, whereas the product lamp is pulsed twice during each transmission cycle for a totalon time of approximately onesixth of the duration of the data transmission cycle.
  • the product lamps 120 are, for example conventional incandescent lamps and the longer operation of the product lamp 120 is provided to ensure sufficient lamp intensity.
  • the applied voltage to the digit displays 238 is controlled so that the short pulse duration is sufficientto provide adequate display intensity and to prevent noticeable display flickering.
  • the digital displays 238 are, for example, 7-bar FIG. 8 incandescent display tubes (e.g. Numitron display tubes sold by Radio Corporation of.America) in which event it has been found desirable to provide a safety circuit for automatically de-activating the digital displays 238 when there are faulty low frequency clock signals which would otherwise maintain the digital displays 238 energized too long and such that the life of the digital displays would be substantially reduced or the displays would immediately burn out.
  • a decoder driver enable circuit 270 is provided for selectively enabling the decoder driver 237.
  • the decoder driver enable circuit 270 is automatically deactivated by the synchronization signal (via the single-shot circuit 260 and an OR gate 272) at thebeginning of each transmission cycle, Also, the enable circuit 270 is connected via the OR gate 272 to the highest order digital display 238 of the volume indicator 118 to be deactivated at the commencement of the volume display. Through the foregoing inputsthrough the OR gate 272 the enable circuit 270 is deactivated to blank out the unnecessary leading zeros in the cost and volume displays (through the highest three places or up to the decimal point) as more fully explained hereinafter. The decoder driver enable circuit 270 is thereafter adapted to be re-activated via an AND gate 276 only if the clock pulse rate is above the predetermined frequency.
  • the clock transmission lead is connected via'a single-shot circuit 278 to charge a suitable capacitor circuit 280 for a pre-established short interval for each clock pulse.
  • the capacitor circuit 280 discharges at a predetermined rate between charge pulses and the voltage level in its output lead 282 is maintained at an adequate level to operate the AND gate 276 only if the clock pulse rate is above a predetermined safe frequency.
  • Theoutput lead 282 from the capacitor circuit 280 is also connected to the AND gate 259 for de-energizing the product indicator lamp 120 if the'clock pulse rate is below the predetermined safe frequency.
  • the decoder driver enable circuit 270 is reactivated (if the clockfrequency is above the predetermined safe frequency) when a second signal is supplied to the AND gate 276 via an OR gate 286.
  • the OR gate is connected to a 0 output lead 288 from the decoder driver 237 via a signal inverter 290 such that a signal is supplied to the AND gate 276 to activate the enable circuit 270 when a number signal (i.e., a signal for one of the numbers 1 through 9) is transmitted by the decoder driver to the digit displays 238.
  • the OR gate 286 is connected to the first digit display 238 after the decimal point of each indicator 116, 118 such that the decoder driver enable circuit 270 is activated when those digital displays 238 are activated. Accordingly leading zeros up to the decimal point are blanked out to provide for simplifying the reading of the cost and volume indicators and to extend the life of the digital displays 238.
  • Ten BCD storage circuits 298, five for the cost printer section (not shown) and five for the volume printer section (not shown) are provided as inputs for connection to a conventional printer.
  • the BCD storage circuits 298 are connected in parallel to the BCD readout leads of the storage register 232 and are connected via a control gate 300 to be selectively operated by the BCD decoder 254 such that the storage circuits 298 are set in sequence from left 'to right to store the corresponding digit information as it is transmitted viathe serial transmission lead 101.
  • a delay 302 is interposed between the single-shot circuit 236 and the control gate 300 to ensure that the storage register 232 is set before 4 the BCD signal stored in the storage register 232 is transmitted to the corresponding printer storage decade 298.
  • a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem
  • the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined, frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency
  • the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving-the binary in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a pluralit
  • sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in said BCD signal group sequence and in synchronism with the operation of the BCD storage register for being driven by the BCD decoder driver means for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register.
  • a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register-means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals ofa plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising
  • a fluid dispensing system wherein the'accumulating means is operable for accumulating the amount of fluid delivered to at least one decimal place and wherein the blanking means is operable to activate the digit indicators when the BCDsignal group in the storage register corresponds to the first decimal place.
  • each delivery subsystem comprises settable product selector means selectively settable for selectively setting the delivery subsystem for delivering a selected one of the fluid products
  • the control subsystem comprises first manually operable electrical selector switch means for each fluid delivery subsystem and wherein each delivery subsystem comprises second manually operable electrical selector switch means operable for selectively selecting the fluid product to be delivered and deactivating the delivery subsystem and electrical control means operable by the combined operation of the first and second electrical selector switch means for setting the product selector means in accordance with the manual operation of the second electrical switch means and for activating the delivery subsystem for delivering the selected product established by the setting of the product selector means and operable by either
  • control means is operable by the second electrical switch means to inactivate the fluid delivery subsystem
  • the fluid delivery subsystem comprises resettable register means for registering the amount of each fluid delivery and automatically resettable to zero when the-fluid delivery subsystem is reactivated for delivering fluid
  • control means comprises means preventing reactivation of the 10 fluid delivery subsystem until the subsystem has been inactive for a predetermined time interval.
  • a fluid dispensing system comprising delay means connected to be reset to zero when the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated and to generate a reset control signal after said predetermined time interval, and wherein the control means further cornprises activation means operable .by the reset control signal and the second manually operable electrical switch means for operating the product selector means.
  • a fluid dispensing system wherein the second manually operable electrical switch means is operable for inactivating the fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, and wherein the fluid delivery subsystem comprises liquid crystal indicator means for indicating the amount of fluid delivered and timer means for inactivating the indicator means after a predetermined time interval after the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated for delivery fluid.
  • a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating theamount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery sub system and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem
  • the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency
  • the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a pluralit
  • the activating means comprises capacitance means which discharges at a predetermined rate, a single shot circuit operable by the clock signals to charge the capacitance means a predetermined amount for each clock signal, and means operable by the capacitance means for maintaining the display sections inactive below a predetermined charge level of the capacitance means.
  • a fluid dispensing system having a plurality of fluid delivery subsystems independently operable for delivering fluid, each fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for separately accumulating the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amounts in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by a fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means selectively operable for receiving the transmitted signals from a selected delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by the selected delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the sig nal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated cost and volumetric amounts, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a single shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a single

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Abstract

A fuel dispensing system adapted for self-service operation as well as conventional operation with a service station attendant. The system comprises a plurality of delivery subsystems, each adapted to selectively deliver a plurality of different grades of gasoline, and a remote control subsystem adapted to be manned for controlling the operation of each of the delivery subsystems. The control subsystem is connected to each delivery subsystem such that the cost, volume and grade of gasoline of each delivery can be selectively displayed at the manned remote control station.

Description

nited States Patent [1 1 Brunone [451 May 14, 1974 FLUID DELIVERY CONTROL SYSTEM [75] Inventor:
[73] Assignee: V'eeder Industries, Inc., Hartford,
Conn.
[22] Filed: June 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No.1 260,249
Peter P. Brunone, Vernon, Conn.
[52] 0.8. CI 235/92 FL, 235/92 R, 235/92 DM, 235/92 EA [51] Int. Cl. G06m l/l2 [58] Field of Search 235/92 FL, 92 PL; 340/347 DD [56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,580,42l 5/1971 Bickford "235/92 FL 3,271,5l7 9/l966 DeR0sa.... 340/347 DD 3,460,097
8/1969 Kubo 235/92 PL 3,400.255 9/1968 Uroom 235/92 FL Primary Examiner--Paul J. Henon Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Gnuse Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Prutzman, -Hayes, Kalb &
Chilton 57 ABSTRACT A fuel dispensing system adapted for self-service operation as well as conventional operation with a service station attendant. The system comprises a plurality of delivery subsystems, each adapted to selectively deliver a plurality of different grades of gasoline, and a remote control subsystem adapted to be manned for controlling the operation of each of the delivery subsystems. The control subsystem is connected to each delivery subsystem such that the cost, volume and grade of gasoline of each delivery can be selectively displayed at themanned remote control station.
10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures L 2 PRINTER lll COST 7 L/ VOLUME RECEIVER PRODUCT mm um COST VOLUME Mun uunun is 5M EIEcTOR a M L" 0 TNOZELT LIGHT 19 V W5 9i [ACKNGWLEECMEW iea l B52231 F 1 FLUID DELIVERY CONTROL SYSTEM BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventiongenerally relates to fluid dispensing systems and more particularly to a new and improved fluid dispensing control system having notable utility in self-service gasoline stations for controlling the delivery of gasoline at each of a plurality of delivery pumps and providing delivery information for determining the charges to self-service customers.
It is a principle aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved self-service gasoline dispensing system of the type having a manned control station for controlling'the operation of each .of a plurality of gasoline pumps and for collecting payment from selfservice customers.
It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved self-service fuel dispensing system which provides for the self-service delivery of a selected one of a plurality of different grades of gasoline.
It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing system having a single readout station for selectively displaying'the delivery information of each of a plurality of delivery subsystems. 7
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved information transmission system for a fluid-dispensing system for transmitting'fluid de livery information from a fuel delivery pump to a remote control station. It is another aim 'of the present invention to provide a new'and improved remote readout system for a fuel delivery system for selectively displaying the cost and- /or volume information of the fuel deliveries at each of a plurality of fuel delivery pumps.
Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in more detail hereinafter.
A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of an illustrative application of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designate parts which are functionally alike, a gasoline dispensing system'is schematically shown which incorporates an embodiment of the present invention. The gasoline dispensing system comprises a plurality of delivery subsystems or pumps 10 (only oneof which being shown in the drawings) which are independently operable for individually delivering each of three gasoline grades or products designated A, B and C. Each product delivery system 11 of each pump 10 comprises-in a conventional manner a fuel pump 12 driven by a motor l4'for delivering the gasoline product via a suitable electromagnetic control valve 16 and meter 18 to a fuel delivery nozzle 20 (the nozzle 20 for product A being the only nozzle shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity). The output shaft 22 of each meter 18 drives a pulse generator 24 to generate a pulse train having a pre-established number of pulses (eg one hundred) for each pre-established unit vol ume (e.g. one gallon) of fuel dispensed. The pulse generators 24 are connected in parallel to a pulse generator selector 26 which is selectively operable for selectively connecting the pulse generators to a multiplier 28.
The multiplier 28 forms a part of a price computing device 30 of the type shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,696,236 of Crawford M. Ku's dated Oct. 3, ,1972 and entitled Computing Device. Briefly, the computing device 30 comprises a separate price selector 32 for each gasoline product which is preset to preestablish the unit volume price of the gasoline product. The price selectors 32 are selectively activated to control the multiplier 28 and such that the multiplier generates an output pulse train in its output transmission lead 34 having a number of pulses in accordance with the volume of fuel dispensed and the pr e-established unit volume price of the selected product. A five decade cost accumulator 36 is driven by the multiplier output pulse train to accumulate the cost of fuel delivered, and a five digit cost indicator 38 is operated by BCD readout leads of the cost accumulator 36 via suitable decoderdriver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the cost of fueldispensed.
A five decade volume accumulator 42 is driven by the selected pulse generator output pulse train to accumulate the volume of fuel delivered, and a' five digit volume indicator 44 is operated'by BCD readout leads of the volume accumulator 42' via decoder-driver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the volume of fuel dispensed. A price indicator 50 is operated by the active price selector 32 via BCD readout leads of the price selector and decoder-driver circuits 40 to provide a visual readout or display of the preestablished unit volume price of the selected gasoline product. A suitable electromagnetic totalizer 54 is provided for each of the three available products for accumulating the volume dispensed of the respective fuel product, and the three totalizers 54 are selectively operated in-accordance with the selectedfuel product.
Each fuel delivery nozzel 20 is stored in a suitable nozzle storage receptacle 60 between deliveries. A switch 64is associated with each nozzle storage recep tacle 60 to sense the removal of the nozzle from and return of the nozzle to its storage receptacle. For this purpose, a suitable lever 66 is shown adapted to be operated by the nozzle 20 for operating the switch64. The three nozzle operated switches 64 are connected via a suitable selector matrix 70 such that the matrix output lead 71, 72 or 73 corresponding to the nozzle which is first removed is energized. The selector matrix 70 preferably provides that all three nozzles 20 m'ust be in their storage receptacles before one of the matrix output leads 7I-73 can be subsequentlyenergized by removing the corresponding nozzle from its storage receptacle.
The selector matrix output leads 71-73 are connected to a product selector which is adapted to be selectively set (and remain set until subsequently reset) in accordance with the active (or energized) selector matrix output lead 71-73 to energize a corresponding product selector lead 81, 82 or 83. The product selector 80 is connected via its selector leads 81-83 to operate the pulse generator selector 26 and activate the appropriate price selector 32 and totalizer 54 in accordance with the active fuel nozzle 20. Also, the product selector 80 is connected to a delivery control circuit 86 to activate the corresponding product delivery system 11 when the delivery control circuit 86 is set in its On condition.
Each pump has a transmitter 90 for transmitting the current cost, volume and product information of the pump to a control subsystem 100 which is manually controlled during self-service operation of the fuel system for controlling the operation of each pump and properly charging each customer for the amount of fuel received. The transmitter 90 is connected to receive BCD signals of the cost and volume information from the cost and volume accumulators 36, 42 and is connected to receive a product signal from the product selector 80. As hereinafter more fully explained, the transmitter 90 provides for transmitting the current cost, volume and product information to the control subsystem 100 via three signal transmission leads 101-103 which respectively transmit serial data signals, clock signals and synchronization signals.
The control subsystem 100 comprises a receiver 110 and a pump selector 112 which is adapted to be selectively operated to selectively connect the pump transmitters 90 to the receiver 110. The control-subsystem 100 is shown designed for use with three pumps identified by the Roman numerals I, 11 and 111, but as shall become-apparent could be designed for use with any desired number of pumps 10. Selector buttons 114, one for each pump 10, are provided for operating the pump selector 112 and thereby connect the respective pump transmitter 90 to the receiver 110. Slave or remote cost and volume indicators 116, 118 provide a visual readout or display of the cost and volume information of the selected pump and three lamps 120 are connected to be selectively energized for indicating the selected product at the selected pump. A suitable manually operable printer 126 is connected to the receiver 110 for providing a printout or delivery record of the cost and volume information of the selected pump.
A start or authorization button 126 is provided for each pump for selectively activating the pump for delivering fuel, and a stop button 128 is provided for each pump for selectively de-activating the pump. An acknowledgment lamp 129 provided for each pump is connected to be energized when the pump is activated for delivering fuel. A nozzle lamp 130 provided for each pump is connected for (a) generating a flashing or intermittent light signal when a nozzle of the respective pump is removed before the pump is activated for delivering fuel, or (b) generating a steady light signal when both a pump nozzle has been removed and the pump is activated.
A mode selector 134 having an fR or remote control position and an L" or local control position is provided for respectively conditioning the entire fuel system for remote control at a suitably located manned control station (where the controls and visual indicators of the control subsystem 100 are located) for selfservice delivery of gasoline or for local control at each of the individual pumps 10 for attendant delivery of gasoline. With the mode selector 134 in remote control or R position, when a selected start button 126 is momentarily depressed, a main pump control of the corresponding pump is set in its On condition and the main pump control 140 thereupon sets the pump delivery control 86 in its On condition to activate the pump. The main pump control 140 also energizes the corresponding acknowledgment lamp 129 to signal that the pump has been activated. When the mode selector 134 is in its L or local control position, the main pump control 140 is set in its On condition when one of the pump nozzles is removed. In either mode of operation, the main pump control 140 and the delivery control 86 are connected to be returned to their Off condition by momentarily depressing the respective stop button 128 or by returning the active nozzle to its storage receptacle (the nozzle operated switches 64 being connected via the selector matrix 70, an OR gate 146, an AND gate 148, a signal inverter 147, and a suitable single shot circuit 149 to deactivate the main pump control 140 and delivery control 86 when the active nozzle'is returned to its storage receptacle).
The AND gate 148 remains open while the pump is activated and the active nozzle 20 is withdrawn from its storage receptacle. The AND gate 148 is suitably connected to maintain the nozzle lamp 130 continuously energized during such occurrence. The AND gate 148 is also connected via a pair of suitable single-shot circuits 150 anda signal inverter 151 to reset a timer 152 (shown connected to be indexed by the computer oscillator 153) and, a display control 154 and a delay circuit each time the AND gate 148 is opened and each time the AND gate is closed. The timer 152 is connected to step the delay circuit 160 for example every second and the delay circuit 160 functions to generate a signal after a predetermined delay of for example 4 seconds (i.e., four steps) after it has been reset.
A pump reset control 164 is connected to the delay circuit 160 and to the AND gate 148 such that the pump reset control is conditioned to reset the pump (i.e., reset the product selector 80 and the cost and volume accumulators 36, 42) when the pump is activated only if the pump has been de-activated for the predetermined delay established by the delay circuit 160. Such ensures that the pump is not inadvertently reset if the nozzle operated switch 64 is inadvertently cycled when returning the nozzle to the storage receptacle at the end of the delivery. Thus, when a delivery is authorized (by momentarily depressing the start button 126 or when the mode selector is in its L position) and a nozzle is removed from its storage receptacle and the AND gate 148 is thereby opened (and a four second delay has elapsed since the completion of the prior delivery) the pump reset control 164 will generate a reset signal to (a) reset the accumulators 36, 42 to 0 (such that the succeeding delivery will commence with 000.00, cost and volume displays) and (b) reset the product selector to condition the pump for delivering the selected product.
The timer 152 is also employed for generating a signal after a predetermined relatively long interval of for example 4 minutes for (a) automatically de-activating the pump for safety reasons after such a predetermined interval and (b) operating the display control 154 for automatically de-activating the cost, volume and price display indicators 38, 44 and 50 after such a predetermined interval after the pump has been de-activated.
For example, where liquid crystal indicators are employed, it has been found particularly desirable to automatically de-activate the indicators after a predetermined interval after the completion of a fuel delivery (and thus during the interval the pump remains inactive) in order to increase the life of the indicators. The display control 154 is subsequently operated to activate the indicators 38, 44, 50 when the pump is activated and a nozzle is removed.
The timer 152 is also connected via a suitable AND gate 170 to provide an intermittent signal for intermittent operation of the respective nozzle lamp 130 when a nozzle is removed before the pump is activated. The resulting flashing light signal is used for example to alert the attendant manning the control subsystem 100 that a customer wishes to deliver fuel from the pump represented by the flashing light. The AND gate 170 and AND gate 148 are suitably connected to the respective nozzle lamp 130 such that the lamp 130 remains energized continually while the AND gate 148 is open and even though'the AND gate 170 is also intermittently opened. I
Referring to FIG. 2, the pump transmitter 90 comprises a selector matrix 200 having eleven input binary signal groups shown designated by the numerals 1-11. The first through fifth input signal groups are the BD signals from the cost accumulator decades in descending order. Similarly, the sixth through tenth input groups are BCD signals from the volume accumulator decades in descending order. The eleventh input signal group provides a signal from the product selector 80 representing the active product.
The selector matrix 200 is operated by 12 control leads 201 from a sequencing circuit 202 to sequentially connect the input signal groups to a parallel to serial converter 204. The twelfth control lead 201 is provided for connecting the product signal group to the parallel to serial converter 204- during the last two steps of the sequencing circuit 202.
The parallel-to-serial converter 204 is connected to be indexed by a second sequencing circuit 212 to serially transmit the' binary signals in each signal group over the serial data transmission lead 101. Thecomputer oscillator 153 is shown connected to the sequencing circuit 212 to repeatedly cycle the sequencing circuit 212 through its four steps to repeatedly cycle the parallel to serial converter 204. The oscillator which may, for example, have a 4 KC frequency, is also con nected to provide the'clock pulses transmitted via the clock transmission lead 102.
The sequencing circuit 212 is connected for stepping the sequencing circuit 202 at the end of each four step cycle of the circuit 212 such that the selector matrix 200 is indexed after the signals of each input signal group are transmitted serially to the serial data transmission lead 101. The binary signals representing the cost, volume and product information are thereby transmitted serially via the serial data transmission lead 101 at a rate determined by the frequency of the oscillator 153. The twelfth or last control lead 201 is also connected via a suitable delay circuit 214 and single shot circuit 216 to reset the sequencing circuits 202, 212 after the completion of one full cycle of the sequencing circuit 202 and to thereby reset the system for a succeeding data transmission cycle. The lst control lead 201 is also connected to the synchronization signal transmission lead 103 to provide a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the receiver with the transmitter 90 at the beginning of each data transmission cycle and to thereby ensure that the transmitted binary signals are properly interpretted by the receiver.
When a pump selector button 114 is momentarily depressed, the pump selector 1 12 is setto connect the serial data, clock and synchronization signal transmission leads 101-103 of the corresponding pump to the receiver 110. A four bit shift register 230 is connected to the serial data and clock signal transmission leads 101, 102 to continually receive the transmitted binary signals. A storage register 232 is connected to the shift register 230 for selectively storing the four binary signals in the shift register 230. The storage register 232 is connected to a combined decoder driver and decoder driver control circuit 237 which is connected to each digit display 238 of the cost and volume display indicators 116, 118. The digit displays 238 are, for example, 7-bar FIG. 8 type displays, in which event the decoder driver 237 would have seven output leads for energizing the digital displays 238 in accordance with the BCD signal in the storage register 232. I
A counter 250and BCD decoder 254 are connected for timely energizing the digital displays 238 in sequence from left to right. Also,'a gate 257 is operated via an AND gate 259 by the counter readout leads for timely connecting three of the storage register readout leads for energizing the appropriate product lamp 120. The counter 250 is connected to the single-shot circuit 236 to be indexed one step for each four clock pulses and, therefore, for each binary signal group transmitted to the storage register 232 and such that the digital displays 238 and the product lamp bank are activated in sequence and the digital displays 238 and product lamp bank are individually activated when he corresponding binary signal group is stored in the storage register 232. The synchronization signal is transmitted via a suitable single-shot circuit 260 to reset the divider circuit 234 and counter 250 when the 1st binary signal group is stored in the storage register 232 and to thereby synchronize the activation of the cost and volume digit displays 238 and the product lamp bank with the transmission of the corresponding binary signal groups to the receiver 110.
It can be seen that the digit displays 238 are pulsed once for each data transmission cycle, whereas the product lamp is pulsed twice during each transmission cycle for a totalon time of approximately onesixth of the duration of the data transmission cycle. The product lamps 120 are, for example conventional incandescent lamps and the longer operation of the product lamp 120 is provided to ensure sufficient lamp intensity. The applied voltage to the digit displays 238 is controlled so that the short pulse duration is sufficientto provide adequate display intensity and to prevent noticeable display flickering.
The digital displays 238 are, for example, 7-bar FIG. 8 incandescent display tubes (e.g. Numitron display tubes sold by Radio Corporation of.America) in which event it has been found desirable to provide a safety circuit for automatically de-activating the digital displays 238 when there are faulty low frequency clock signals which would otherwise maintain the digital displays 238 energized too long and such that the life of the digital displays would be substantially reduced or the displays would immediately burn out. For this purpose and other purposes hereinafter explained a decoder driver enable circuit 270 is provided for selectively enabling the decoder driver 237. The decoder driver enable circuit 270 is automatically deactivated by the synchronization signal (via the single-shot circuit 260 and an OR gate 272) at thebeginning of each transmission cycle, Also, the enable circuit 270 is connected via the OR gate 272 to the highest order digital display 238 of the volume indicator 118 to be deactivated at the commencement of the volume display. Through the foregoing inputsthrough the OR gate 272 the enable circuit 270 is deactivated to blank out the unnecessary leading zeros in the cost and volume displays (through the highest three places or up to the decimal point) as more fully explained hereinafter. The decoder driver enable circuit 270 is thereafter adapted to be re-activated via an AND gate 276 only if the clock pulse rate is above the predetermined frequency. For this purpose, the clock transmission lead is connected via'a single-shot circuit 278 to charge a suitable capacitor circuit 280 for a pre-established short interval for each clock pulse. The capacitor circuit 280 discharges at a predetermined rate between charge pulses and the voltage level in its output lead 282 is maintained at an adequate level to operate the AND gate 276 only if the clock pulse rate is above a predetermined safe frequency. Theoutput lead 282 from the capacitor circuit 280 is also connected to the AND gate 259 for de-energizing the product indicator lamp 120 if the'clock pulse rate is below the predetermined safe frequency.
The decoder driver enable circuit 270 is reactivated (if the clockfrequency is above the predetermined safe frequency) when a second signal is supplied to the AND gate 276 via an OR gate 286. The OR gate is connected to a 0 output lead 288 from the decoder driver 237 via a signal inverter 290 such that a signal is supplied to the AND gate 276 to activate the enable circuit 270 when a number signal (i.e., a signal for one of the numbers 1 through 9) is transmitted by the decoder driver to the digit displays 238. Also, the OR gate 286 is connected to the first digit display 238 after the decimal point of each indicator 116, 118 such that the decoder driver enable circuit 270 is activated when those digital displays 238 are activated. Accordingly leading zeros up to the decimal point are blanked out to provide for simplifying the reading of the cost and volume indicators and to extend the life of the digital displays 238.
Ten BCD storage circuits 298, five for the cost printer section (not shown) and five for the volume printer section (not shown) are provided as inputs for connection to a conventional printer. The BCD storage circuits 298 are connected in parallel to the BCD readout leads of the storage register 232 and are connected via a control gate 300 to be selectively operated by the BCD decoder 254 such that the storage circuits 298 are set in sequence from left 'to right to store the corresponding digit information as it is transmitted viathe serial transmission lead 101. A delay 302 is interposed between the single-shot circuit 236 and the control gate 300 to ensure that the storage register 232 is set before 4 the BCD signal stored in the storage register 232 is transmitted to the corresponding printer storage decade 298.
As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
I claim:
1. In a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined, frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving-the binary in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively adapted to be activated for registering the amount of the respective BCD signal group, the receiver means further comprisingvBCD decoderdriver means connected to be operated by the BCD storage register for decoding each BCD signal group in the BCD signal group sequence and for driving all of the separate register sections in accordance therewith,
and sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in said BCD signal group sequence and in synchronism with the operation of the BCD storage register for being driven by the BCD decoder driver means for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register.
2. ln a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register-means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals ofa plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively adapted to be activated for registering the amount of the respective BCD signal group, the receiver means further comprising BCD decoder-driver means connected to be operated by the BCD storage register for decoding each BCD signal group and for driving all of the separate register sections in accordance therewith, and sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in sequence for being driven by the BCD decoder-driver means for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the register sections being selectively operable -9 digit indicators and the receiver means comprising blanking means for deactivating the digit indicators when displaying leading uninterrupted zeros, the BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount being transmitted in descending order of significance and the blanking means being operable for inactivating the digit indicators at the beginning of a transmission sequence and to activate the digit indicators when the BCD signal group in the. storage register represents a number.
3. A fluid dispensing system according'to claim 2 wherein the'accumulating means is operable for accumulating the amount of fluid delivered to at least one decimal place and wherein the blanking means is operable to activate the digit indicators when the BCDsignal group in the storage register corresponds to the first decimal place.
4. In a fluid dispensing system comprising at least one delivery subsystem having a plurality of separate fluid product delivery systems 'and adapted to be selectively set for delivering a'selected one of the fluid products with the corresponding product delivery system and for being activated for delivering the selected product, and a control subsystem for selectively setting and activating each delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein each delivery subsystem comprises settable product selector means selectively settable for selectively setting the delivery subsystem for delivering a selected one of the fluid products, wherein the control subsystem comprises first manually operable electrical selector switch means for each fluid delivery subsystem and wherein each delivery subsystem comprises second manually operable electrical selector switch means operable for selectively selecting the fluid product to be delivered and deactivating the delivery subsystem and electrical control means operable by the combined operation of the first and second electrical selector switch means for setting the product selector means in accordance with the manual operation of the second electrical switch means and for activating the delivery subsystem for delivering the selected product established by the setting of the product selector means and operable by either the first and second electrical selector switch means for deactivating the delivery subsystem.
5. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 wherein the control means is operable by the second electrical switch means to inactivate the fluid delivery subsystem, and wherein the fluid delivery subsystem comprises resettable register means for registering the amount of each fluid delivery and automatically resettable to zero when the-fluid delivery subsystem is reactivated for delivering fluid, and wherein the control means comprises means preventing reactivation of the 10 fluid delivery subsystem until the subsystem has been inactive for a predetermined time interval.
6. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 5 wherein the reactivation preventing means comprises delay means connected to be reset to zero when the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated and to generate a reset control signal after said predetermined time interval, and wherein the control means further cornprises activation means operable .by the reset control signal and the second manually operable electrical switch means for operating the product selector means.
7. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 4- wherein the second manually operable electrical switch means is operable for inactivating the fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, and wherein the fluid delivery subsystem comprises liquid crystal indicator means for indicating the amount of fluid delivered and timer means for inactivating the indicator means after a predetermined time interval after the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated for delivery fluid.
8. in a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating theamount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery sub system and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively each operable by the BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the receiver means further comprising sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in sequence for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, each of said separate register section being a display section connected to be energized for a time interval according to the time interval the respective BCD signal group is stored in the storage register and the receivermeans comprising display inactivating means for automatically inactivating said display sections when the clock signal frequency decreases below a predetermined frequency.
9. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 8 wherein the activating means comprises capacitance means which discharges at a predetermined rate, a single shot circuit operable by the clock signals to charge the capacitance means a predetermined amount for each clock signal, and means operable by the capacitance means for maintaining the display sections inactive below a predetermined charge level of the capacitance means.
10. In a fluid dispensing system having a plurality of fluid delivery subsystems independently operable for delivering fluid, each fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for separately accumulating the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amounts in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by a fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means selectively operable for receiving the transmitted signals from a selected delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by the selected delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the sig nal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated cost and volumetric amounts, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a single shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a single BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate number indicators for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively each operable by the BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the receiver means further comprising sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate number indicators in sequence for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the number indicators being incandescent indicators .and the receiver means comprising blanking means for inactivating the indicators when the clock frequency is below a predetermined frequency.

Claims (10)

1. In a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively adapted to be activated for registering the amount of the respective BCD signal group, the receiver means further comprising BCD decoder-driver means connected to be operated by the BCD storage register for decoding each BCD signal group in the BCD signal group sequence and for driving all of the separate register sections in accordance therewith, and sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in said BCD signal group sequence and in synchronism with the operation of the BCD storage register for being driven by the BCD decoder driver means for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register.
2. In a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registeriNg the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively adapted to be activated for registering the amount of the respective BCD signal group, the receiver means further comprising BCD decoder-driver means connected to be operated by the BCD storage register for decoding each BCD signal group and for driving all of the separate register sections in accordance therewith, and sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in sequence for being driven by the BCD decoder-driver means for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the register sections being selectively operable 0-9 digit indicators and the receiver means comprising blanking means for deactivating the digit indicators when displaying leading uninterrupted zeros, the BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount being transmitted in descending order of significance and the blanking means being operable for inactivating the digit indicators at the beginning of a transmission sequence and to activate the digit indicators when the BCD signal group in the storage register represents a number.
3. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 2 wherein the accumulating means is operable for accumulating the amount of fluid delivered to at least one decimal place and wherein the blanking means is operable to activate the digit indicators when the BCD signal group in the storage register corresponds to the first decimal place.
4. In a fluid dispensing system comprising at least one delivery subsystem having a plurality of separate fluid product delivery systems and adapted to be selectively set for delivering a selected one of the fluid products with the corresponding product delivery system and for being activated for delivering the selected product, and a control subsystem for selectively setting and activating each delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein each delivery subsystem comprises settable product selector means selectively settable for selectively setting the delivery subsystem for delivering a selected one of the fluid products, wherein the control subsystem comprises first manually operable electrical selector switch means for each fluid delivery subsystem and wherein each delivery subsystem comprises second manually operable electrical selector switch means operable for selectively selecting the fluid product to be delivered and deactivating the delivery subsystem and electrical control means operable by the combined operation of the first and second electrical selector switch means for setting the product selector means in accordance with the manual operation of the second electrical switch means and for activating the delivery subsystem for delivering the selected product established by the setting of the product selector means and operable by either the first and second electrical selector switch means for deactivating the delivery subsystem.
5. A fluid dispensing system accOrding to claim 4 wherein the control means is operable by the second electrical switch means to inactivate the fluid delivery subsystem, and wherein the fluid delivery subsystem comprises resettable register means for registering the amount of each fluid delivery and automatically resettable to zero when the fluid delivery subsystem is reactivated for delivering fluid, and wherein the control means comprises means preventing reactivation of the fluid delivery subsystem until the subsystem has been inactive for a predetermined time interval.
6. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 5 wherein the reactivation preventing means comprises delay means connected to be reset to zero when the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated and to generate a reset control signal after said predetermined time interval, and wherein the control means further comprises activation means operable by the reset control signal and the second manually operable electrical switch means for operating the product selector means.
7. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 wherein the second manually operable electrical switch means is operable for inactivating the fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, and wherein the fluid delivery subsystem comprises liquid crystal indicator means for indicating the amount of fluid delivered and timer means for inactivating the indicator means after a predetermined time interval after the fluid delivery subsystem is inactivated for delivery fluid.
8. In a fluid dispensing system having at least one fluid delivery subsystem for delivering fluid, the fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for accumulating the amount of the fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amount in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the amount of fluid delivered by each fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means connected for receiving the transmitted signals from each delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the amount of fluid delivered by the delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated amount, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate register sections for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively each operable by the BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the receiver means further comprising sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate register sections in sequence for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, each of said separate register section being a display section connected to be energized for a time interval according to the time interval the respective BCD signal group is stored in the storage register and the receiver means comprising display inactivating means for automatically inactivating said display sections when the clock signal frequency decreases below a predetermined frequency.
9. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 8 wherein the activating means comprises capacitance means which discharges at a predetermined rate, a single shot circuit operable by the clock signals to charge the capacitance means a predetermined amount for each clock signal, and means operable by the capacitance means for maintaining the display sections inactive below a predetermined charge level of the capacitance means.
10. In a fluid dispensing system having a plurality of fluid delivery subsystems independently operable for delivering fluid, each fluid delivery subsystem having accumulating means for separately accumulating the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered and signal transmitter means for transmitting signals representing the accumulated amounts in the accumulating means, and a register subsystem having register means for registering the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by a fluid delivery subsystem and receiver means selectively operable for receiving the transmitted signals from a selected delivery subsystem and for operating the register means to register the cost and volumetric amounts of fluid delivered by the selected delivery subsystem, the improvement wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for repetitively serially transmitting at a predetermined frequency and in a predetermined sequence the binary signals of a plurality of BCD signal groups of the accumulated cost and volumetric amounts, wherein the signal transmitter means is operable for transmitting clock signals at said predetermined frequency, and wherein the receiver means comprises a single shift register connected to be operated by the binary signals and clock signals for receiving the binary signals in sequence, a single BCD storage register connected to be operated by the shift register and clock signals for storing the BCD signal groups in sequence, the register means comprising a plurality of separate number indicators for the plurality of BCD signal groups respectively each operable by the BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the receiver means further comprising sequencing means operable by the clock signals for activating the separate number indicators in sequence for sequentially registering the amounts of the respective BCD signal groups stored in the storage register, the number indicators being incandescent indicators and the receiver means comprising blanking means for inactivating the indicators when the clock frequency is below a predetermined frequency.
US00260249A 1972-06-06 1972-06-06 Fluid delivery control system Expired - Lifetime US3811035A (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4237537A (en) * 1978-05-23 1980-12-02 Ferranti Limited Price display setting arrangements
US5018645A (en) * 1990-01-30 1991-05-28 Zinsmeyer Herbert G Automotive fluids dispensing and blending system

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3271517A (en) * 1963-01-02 1966-09-06 Rosa Andrew C De Data transmission
US3400255A (en) * 1965-01-05 1968-09-03 Veeder Industries Inc Count transfer system
US3460097A (en) * 1965-12-30 1969-08-05 Nippon Columbia Numerical display system for a computer or the like
US3580421A (en) * 1969-11-20 1971-05-25 Veeder Industries Inc Fluid dispensing apparatus indicator system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3271517A (en) * 1963-01-02 1966-09-06 Rosa Andrew C De Data transmission
US3400255A (en) * 1965-01-05 1968-09-03 Veeder Industries Inc Count transfer system
US3460097A (en) * 1965-12-30 1969-08-05 Nippon Columbia Numerical display system for a computer or the like
US3580421A (en) * 1969-11-20 1971-05-25 Veeder Industries Inc Fluid dispensing apparatus indicator system

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4237537A (en) * 1978-05-23 1980-12-02 Ferranti Limited Price display setting arrangements
US5018645A (en) * 1990-01-30 1991-05-28 Zinsmeyer Herbert G Automotive fluids dispensing and blending system

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