WO2003080498A1

WO2003080498A1 - A securing device for a fuelling pistol

Info

Publication number: WO2003080498A1
Application number: PCT/NO2003/000096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Viggo Berg; Kåre SOMMERSETH
Original assignee: Viggo Berg; Sommerseth Kaare
Priority date: 2002-03-25
Filing date: 2003-03-21
Publication date: 2003-10-02
Also published as: NO20021485L; AU2003214723A1; NO20021485D0

Abstract

A device for a fuelling pistol (1) for filling fuel, wherein a fuelling nozzle (4) of the fuelling pistol (1), at a portion thereof projecting into a fuelling aperture (9), is provided with a stop (8) arranged to prevent the fuelling pistol (1) from being pulled out of the fuelling aperture (9) until the stop (8) is released.

Description

A SECURING DEVICE FOR A FUELLING PISTOL

This invention concerns a device for a fuelling pistol, more precisely the invention concerns a fuelling pistol provided with a stop, and the stop is arranged to prevent the fuelling pistol from being pulled out of a fuelling aperture before the stop is released. The invention is particularly suitable for use at self-service filling stations.

Theft of fuel at self-service filling stations is an increasing problem. Having filled fuel in the fuel tank, the fuelling pistol is re-inserted in the pump, after which the person having fuelled disappears without paying.

To place a physical obstruction, for example in the form of gates or similar to be opened only after payment is made, appears uninviting to the customers, is aesthetically unfortunate and also causes problems in the winter when snow and ice is present. The object of the invention is to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art.

The object is achieved according to the invention through the features disclosed in the specification below and in the subsequent patent claims.

Theft of fuel for motor vehicles, for example, may be prevented by not allowing the fuelling nozzle of the fuelling pistol to be pulled out of the fuelling aperture until fuel payment has been make. At its portion projecting into the fuelling aperture, the fuelling pistol is provided with a stop arranged to lock the fuelling pistol in the fuelling aperture until the stop is released.

In a preferred embodiment of a spring-loaded lock slide is moved laterally into the fuelling nozzle when the fuelling nozzle of the fuelling pistol is inserted into the fuelling aperture. When the mouth is placed inside the fuelling aperture, the lock slide is moved laterally out of the fuelling aperture and is locked in a manner not allowing it to be moved back into the fuelling nozzle until the stop has been released.

The control of the stop may be arranged as to not allow supply of fluid until the stop is in its locked position.

Having finished the filling, the stop may be released remotely and/or from an automated pay machine, after which the fuelling pistol may be pulled out of the fuelling aperture in a known manner. In the following, a non-restricting example of a preferred embodiment is described, and this is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 depicts a fuelling pistol as it is to be inserted into a fuelling aperture;

Fig. 2 depicts an outline I-I of the stop mechanism of Fig. 1 as the stop mechanism is ready for insertion into the fuelling aperture, and only the centre line of the fuelling aperture is shown;

Fig. 3 depicts a section II-II of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 depicts the stop mechanism as the lock slide is moved into the fuelling aperture while inserting the fuelling nozzle into the fuelling aperture;

Fig. 5 shows the same as Fig. 4, but here the lock slide is moved further into the fuelling aperture;

Fig. 6 depicts a section V-V of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 depicts the stop mechanism as the lock slide is moved towards its locking position;

Fig. 8 depicts a section Vlla-VIIa of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 depicts a section Vllb-VIIb of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 depicts the stop mechanism in its locking position. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a fuelling pistol comprising a handle 2 with a built-in valve and a fuelling nozzle 4. Fluid is supplied to the fuelling pistol 1 via a supply hose 6. At its free end portion, the fuelling nozzle 4 is provided with a stop 8 arranged to prevent the fuelling nozzle 4 from being moved through a. fuelling aperture 9 without the stop 8 being released. The stop 8 is released by means of an actuator/relay 10 via a wire 12. To release the stop 8, voltage pulses are fed through a wire 14 to the actuator/relay 10, which normally is without voltage.

Relative to a longitudinal axis 16 of the fuelling nozzle 4, the stop 8 comprises, when viewed laterally, an arrow-shaped, movable lock slide 18, cf. Fig. 2. The lock slide 18 is placed in a partially enclosing guide 20, and the guide 20 is embedded into, and fixedly connected to, the fuelling nozzle 4. A helical spring 22 extends between the inner end portion of the lock slide 18 and an end cap 24 of the guide 20, and it is arranged to displace and direct the lock slide 18 out of the guide 20.

A lock pin 26 is connected to the lock slide 18 and projects out from the surface of the lock slide 18 in the lateral direction relative to the displacement direction of the lock slide 18.

The lock pin 26 cooperates with a locking latch 28 in order to lock the lock slide 18 in its projecting position. The locking latch 28' is displaceable in one direction, which mainly is parallel to the longitudinal axis 16. A spring- loaded guide bolt 30 runs in a feed track 32 in the locking latch 28, while a tongue 34 connected to the guide 20 projects up through a guide track 36 in the locking latch 28, cf. Fig. 3. The tongue 34 is of a U-shape containing a pre- stressing spring 38. The pre-stressing spring 38 is placed in the guide track 36 and runs between the demarcation of the guide track 36 against the feed track 32 and the U-shaped base of the tongue 34. The pre-stressing spring 38 is arranged to displace the locking latch 28 in the direction of the lock pin 26.

A screw spring 40 surrounds the guide bolt 30 and is arranged to bias the locking latch 28 against the guide 20.

When the fuelling nozzle 4 is to be inserted into the fuelling aperture 9, the lock pin 26 is located in front of an end portion 42 of the locking latch 28, cf. Fig. 2. The lock slide 18 may be moved into the guide 20 when a bevel edge 44 of the lock slide 18 engages the fuelling aperture 9, cf. Fig. 4 and 5.

When the lock slide 18 is sufficiently inserted, cf. Fig. 5 and 6, the end portion 42 of the locking latch 28 may be moved past the lock pin 26. As the stop mechanism 8 enters inside of the fuelling aperture 9, the lock slide 18 may be moved outwards in the guide 20 by the helical spring 22.

The lock pin 26 thus is moved underneath a bevel portion 46 of the locking latch 28, cf. Fig. 7 and 8, whereby the screw spring 40 is compressed, allowing the locking latch 28 to be rotated up from the guide 20, cf. Fig. 9.

When the lock slide 18 is sufficiently moved out of the guide 20, cf. Fig. 10, the screw spring 40 rotates the locking latch 28 down toward the guide 20, whereby the lock pin 26 bears against the locking latch 28 and prevents the lock slide 18 from being moved into the guide 20. The fuelling nozzle 4 thus is prevented from being moved through the fuelling aperture 9.

By activating the actuator/relay 10, and by means of the wire 12, the locking latch 28 is moved from its locking position, cf. Fig. 10, to its released position, cf. Fig. 2, by moving a bevel edge 48, cf. Fig. 9, of the locking latch 28 over the lock pin 26.

The lock slide 18 thus may be moved into the guide 20, whereby the fuelling nozzle 4 may be moved through the fuelling aperture 9.

In other embodiments the securing device may comprise other stop devices, for example in the form of releasable barbs (not shown) .

Claims

C laims

1. A device for a fuelling pistol (1) for filling fuel, c ha r ac ter i sed in that, at a portion of a fuelling nozzle (4) of the fuelling pistol (1) projecting into a fuelling aperture (9), the fuelling nozzle (4) is provided with a stop (8) arranged to prevent the fuelling pistol (1) from being pulled out of the fuelling aperture (9) until the stop (8) is released.

2. A device according to claim 1, c h ar act er i s ed in that the stop (8) comprises a lock slide (18) that is laterally movable and lockable relative to the fuelling nozzle (4).

3. A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h aracteri s ed i n that the projecting end portion of the lock slide (18) comprises at least one inclined surface (44).

4. A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, c haracteri s ed i n that the lock slide (18) is provided with a fixed lock pin (26) that, o in cooperation with a locking latch (28), is arranged to lock the lock slide (18) in a position projecting out from the fuelling nozzle (4).

5. A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, char acteri s ed i n that stop (8) is 5 mechanically connected to an actuator/relay (10), the actuator/relay (10) being arranged to release the stop (8) by means of energy supplied.