US2222923A - Fluid filling nozzle - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 226, 1940,V

c. F. wARRlcK FLUID FILLING NOZ ZLE Filed July 5, 1959 f 1 JNVENTQR.

BY @ar/26j ya/,meda @ma #JMW ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES FLUID FILLING NOZZLE Charles F. Warrick, Detroit, Mich., assigner to The 'Imperial Brass Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 3, 1939, Serial No. 282,573

' 12 claims. (AC1. 22e-127) My invention relates to fluid iilling nozzles and particularly the type used for filling tanks Vby means of a hose attached to some reservoir for the liquid.

5 Among the objects of my invention is the provision of a new and improved nozzle device for transferring liquid into tanks which is provided wit-h a valve adapted to be automatically closed i when the tank becomes lled. l Another object of my invention is the provision of a new and'improved manually operated nozzle for filling tanks with liquid which has incorporated therein an automatically operated mechanism for shutting oil? ow through the nozzle inl dependently of the position of the manually operated means whenever the level of fluid in the tank makes contact with the nozzle.

Still another object is the provision of a new and improved iilling nozzle which utilizes the Jet principle to shut oi iiow through the nozzle automatically when the liquid reaches a given level. Another object still is the provision of a new and improved filling nozzle adapted to be automatically shut off when the level of the fluid in a container comes into contact with the nozzle by means of an auxiliary pressure supply operating by suction jet principle wherein the force of the vacuum produced by the .iet can be used to .e close -the nozzle valve, but wherein under 3o normal lling conditions atmosphere connection is established through a duct into the jet chamber so that the air aspirated through said duct acts to reduce the vacuum produced by the jet -to a low degree insuflicient to operate the nozzle valve closing mechanism-but wherein the iiow of air from outside through the aspirating duct may be impeded by thepresence of liquid, rising to its level in the container, to cause the vacuum produced by the jet to increase to a value suflicient to operate the nozzle valve mechanism for shutting oiT` the ow Yo f liquid through the nozzle.

-A further object is the provision of a. new and improved pressure operated control for liquid lling nozzles operating on the suction Jet princi- 5 ple which utilizes al pair of aspirating passages, one leading to the control mechanism and the other leading near the nozzleend so that it may draw liquid thereinto to change the degree of vacuum produced by the suction iet action under 50 given circumstances, and thereafter to by-pass the pressure flow so as to reverse its direction and change' from vacuum to pressure through said'other aspirating passage in order to prevent liquid being drawn-into the jet' and a mist of 55 liquid being expelled at the jet discharge.

A still further object is the provision of a new and improved pressure operated control mechanism for a liquid filling nozzle operating upon the suction jet principle wherein oneaspirating pasl sage for the jet is positioned so as to be brought l5 into contact with a body of liquid under given circumstances in order to change the degree of vacuum produced bythe action of the suction jet and thereby operate the pressure control mechanism, said mechanism being provided with byl0 pass means'adapted to effect a reversal of iiow condition in the aspirating passage in order to thoroughly cleanse the passage and the intake theretoduring this stage of operation.

A still further object is the provision of. a new l5 and improved pressure operated control mechanism for a liquid iilling nozzle operating upon thel suction jet principle wherein one aspirating passage to the jet is positioned so as to' be brought into contact with a body of liquid under given 2o circumstances in order to change the degree. of vacuum produced by the action of the suction jet and thereby operate the valve control mechanism., said mechanism being provided with means for closing the discharge Wopen-ing' of the suction 25 jet adapted to effect a reversal of ow condition in said aspirating passage in order to thoroughly scavenge the passage and its connections during this stage of operation. l

With these and other objects in view, my inso vention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device vwhereby the objects contemplated are attained,

as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in .my claims and illustrated in the accompanying 35 drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is`a\diagrammatic view showing a `longitudinal sectibnthrough the liquid iilling nozzle and control apparatus.

. Figure 2 is ,a modifled form of inlet for the o open aspirating passage.

Figure 3 is a fragmentaryview on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Where liquid containing tanks are provided which are adapted to be filled by hand lling vmeans there is always present the problem of filling such tanks to the top and then stopping the input of liquid before the tank overliows. This problem is particularly present in automobile and airplane gasoline tanks wherein the filling apertures are frequently positioned so that itis not possible ltoobserve the level of liquid inside of them until it reaches a point where the tank is dangerously full. Gauges on such tanks are usually not suiiiclently accurate to help the atopened by the attendant to permit the liquid to ilow into the tank and which will be automatically shut on' whenever the level of liquid in the tank reaches the open end of the nozzle or incase trapped air causes an upward surge of liquid. n In order to accomplish this, the invention con templates' using gas or air pressure and a suction spring 24.

jet for controlling a vacuum and pressure operated mechanism for closing a valve in the nozzle, an aspirating passage to the jet chamber being secured to the open end of the nozzle so as to be brought into contact with the liquid level in the tank when that level rises to a point above the nozzle end.

By using an apparatus embodying this principle it is to be noted that the presence of liquid in the aspirating passage to the suction Jet by reason of being more viscous in action than air or gas impedes the vacuum reducing ilow of atmospheric air to the suction or gas jet vchamber and causes substantially the full degree of attainable vacuum to be built up in the jet chamber and any other passage or passages with which it is designed to operate.`

Danger exists here, however, in that when some kinds of liquid such as gasoline or a similar volatile combustible iluid. eventually reach thejet chamber they are likely to be blown outward through the jet discharge in the form of an explosive mist, a highly dangerous condition. To avoid this there is provided in the control mechanism a by-pass valve operated immediately after a change in the jet-produced, vacuum condition due to the admission of a slug of liquid in the aspirating passage. By by-passing the gas or air normally operating the suction jet the gas or air is conducted into the aspirating passage itself, thereby reversing the flow in the passage stoppered by the liquid and in so reversingthe flow of gas or air under pressure is capable of blowing the volatile liquid back through the aspirating passage to the entrance from which it came.

This blowing action not only eliminates the hazard of'forming an explosive mist at the jet but also performs a scavenging operation in the aspirating passage so as to clear out any dirt or other non-liquid particles which might be drawn into it during its normal aspirating operation. It prevents the possibility of the suction jet action being interfered with by the presence of liquid in the throat.' v

In the apparatus here chosen to illustrate an embodiment of my invention there is shown a liquid lling nozzle device generally indicatedv by thecharacter A, a pressure operated control B connected therewith, and a tank C adapted to be filled with liquid such. as gasoline for example. The nozzle device consists of a casing I which is adapted to be connected by means of a coupling I2 to a supply hose I4 leading from a tank reservoir or from the container for the liquid. At the outlet end of the casing there is provided a spout I6 by means of which the liquid is directed into a narrow entrance I8, for example, of the tank C.

' In the casing there is provided a valve opening 20 with a valve 22 seated therein' and normally Urged to a closed position by means of a coiled A plug 26 holds the spring in place. The valwe is provided with a valve stern 26 which extends outward through the casing through a packing joint 30. s

In order to operate the valve there is provided a link 32 pivoted to the casing' at the point 34 to which is attached an operating arm 36 provided with a handle grip -38. On the operating arm is a shoulder 40 which engages the end of the valve stem 26 and immediately adjacent the shoulder a recess 42 into which the stem is designed to slip under certain conditions. The handle and operating arm is normally urged to an outward or closed position for the valve by means of a colle spring 44. y

To render the handle parts and lever members stationary under normal conditions. the nozzle device is provided with a handle bracket 43 made stationary with respect to the casing and in the bracket there is provided an aperture 4| which has a lower edge 3 9. At the end of the handle member 38 there is provided a hook-like latch element 31 which protrudes through the aperture 4i and is designed to hook over the lower edge 39.

The pressure operated device B -is designed to utilize the principle of axjet and is provided with operating means connected .to the valve and its operating arm consisting of a sealed chamber formed -by a cylinder 46 in which amovable sealing disc here shown as a plunger `4l! is designed to reciprocate. The plunger 48 is connected by a rod 50 to the linkl32 by means of a pivot pin 52. A coiled spring 54 is provided upon the rod to normally urge the rod outward and thus tend to force the link 32 in a counterclockwise direction so that the shoulder 40 will be in a position to depress the valve stem 28 whenever the operating arm is manipulated. The spring likewise urges the latch 31 into engaged position. A cap 56 is provided to supply a closure for the ,cylinder and a guide for the rod 50.

For operating the cylinder and plunger a supply of air. under pressure is provided conducted from some suitable source to the apparatus through a pipe line 58 which terminates in a jet or oriilce outlet 60. At the jet there is provided a somewhat elongated outlet passage 62 which aids in the operation of the jet. In this portion of the device are provided, two aspirating passages for th'e jet, one a substantially closed passage 64 which is directly connected to the bore 66 at the adjacent end of the cylinder and at the other side a tube 68 containing an open aspirating passage 69. The open passage 69 operates to normally permit the fairly free flow of atmosphere through it from the inlet or open end to the jet. The open end l10 is here shown positioned near and customarily secured to the open end of the spout I6.

As a safety feature, the operation of which mll be subsequently explained, there is provided a bypass valve passage 12 in which is seated a valve,

14 provided with a valve stem 16 extending into the cylinder 46. AA short passage connects the end bore 66 of the cylinder directly with the pipe line 58. The valve itself is operated by a snap action incorporated in a pivoted toggle4 arm 16 within the cylinder operated by a coiled spring 80. AThe arm is designed to pull against a shoulder 62 on the valve stem to hold the valve closed and upon a shoulder 64 to hold the valve open under certain circumstances. The arm itself is operated by means of a bracket 86 attached to the plunger provided with operating lugs 88 and 88'.

Operation In operation the vspout I6 is inserted into the narrow entrance I8 of the gas tank C togetherwith the open end 18 oi the tube 68. The valve 22 is then opened by the operator Awho depresses the handle 38 and operating arm 315` of the valve so that pressure is exerted against the valve stem 28, thereby unseating the valve 22 from its seat 20. During this stage of the lling operation gas or air under pressure is being passed through the pipe line 58 and thence outward at the suction jet 60, into throat 62; The velocity' of the airv or gas through this combination tends to carry the air surrounding the jet with it', thus lowering the pressure around the :let or producing a vacuum eiect by ejector action. Since the open aspirating passage 69' is free to admit the passage of air, the vacuum eiect created by the suction jet 60 will largely be expended in drawing atmospheric airthrough the passage 89 and passing it outward from the elongated outlet passage or throat 62 of the jet.

The vacuum producing'action of the jet tends to set up a potential ow through the aspirating Y passage 64. There will be of course no actual ow normally through this passage but only .a very slight vacuum condition which is resisted by the spring 54 and the plunger 48 is balanced in a position wherein the operating arm can maintain the liquid valve 22 in open position.

As liquid rises in the tank it eventually reaches a level indicated by the dotted line 90, where it covers the inlet 18 of the normally open aspirating passage 69. In accordance with a Well-known principle of uid flow, the presenceA of liquid of greater viscosity in this passage materially changes the action of the suction jet since liquid cannot be aspirated as rapidly as a gas through a given duct. Such a condition therefore causes, by means of the impeded ow in the aspirating passage 69, an increase in degree of vacuum/ created by the suction jet through passage 64 in the bore 66 of the cylinder and the materially increased vacuum thus created tends immediately to-v draw the plunger 48 toward the left as viewed in Figure 1. This action tilts the link 32 in a clockwise direction and in so doing shifts the shoulder 48 of the attached operating arm toward the left'until the valve stem 28 slips over the edge of the shoulder into the depression 42. By this action pressure on the valve stem-is released and the valve is urged to a closed position` by means of the spring24 together with the pressure of the liquid itself and immediately shuts off ow of liquid into the tank. By use of such an apparatus it will be impossible to illl the tank C to overflowing or in fact to fill it above the level' of the inlet 1U.

When it is taken winto consideration that a frequent application of a liquid Aiilling'nozzle of this sort, is in lling gasoline tanks, it must be remembered that gasoline when vaporized forms an explosive mist. Under ordinary circumi stances a slug of gasoline which might be drawn into the laspirating passage 69 would quickly reach the jet 88 and be blown out through the explosive mist whichwould be highly dangerous.

To prevent such an action the by-pass valve 14 is provided. In operation, when the suction jet action or vacuum condition has been changed by.

admission of liquid into the aspirating passage 69 the plunger 48 oi course is immediately drawn to--the left. Duringthis motionthe lug 88 on' the bracket 86 ismoved against the toggle arm 18, shifting it counterclockwise to a' position wherein it is driven into contact with the shoulthe air under pressure drives it into thepassage. l

68 and sets up a flow therein in a reverse direction. Under such conditions the full force of the air or gas pressure is directed in reverse through the passage 69 and sweeps all of the volatile combustible liquid back through it into the tank C before it is given the opportunity of being blown out by the jet in the form of a mist or even to reach the suction jet.

By this same action the air under pressure continues to ilow in reverse direction through the passage 69 and in so doing acts as a scavenging agent to clean sediment or foreign particles from the passage, thus maintaining it in erhcient operation, ready for the next lling.

When once the operating ann 38 has been shifted so as to release the liquid valve 22, thereby shutting ofi.V the liquid iiow, the plunger 48 will be held in a position towardthe left by means of a vertical edge 4I of the shoulder portion 40. Therefore, as long as jthe operator grasps the handle 38 against'action of spring 44, the air pressure will sweep through the byL-pass valve, the passages 64 and 69 an`d outward past the inlet 10. As soon as the'handle is released the plunger will immediately be moved toward the right as viewed in Figure 1 byk means of the spring 54 assisted by the pressure of air in the bore 86 of the cylinder and reset the device for the next operation. Simultaneously by motion of the plunger 48 toward the right the by-pass valve 14 is reseated.

Now assuming the liquid inthe tank has reached level 88, part has been drawn into aspirating tube 88 causing the sequence of operations previously described to release the hand lever 38 from engagement with stem of valve 22 and assuming that operator holds nozzle and aspirating piratlng tube opening 10 still under the liquid the mechanism will then snap to the left in a valve releasing action, tripping valve 14, releasing pressure on plunger 48 and again forcing handle and linkage to the right. This -so-called motoring action would continue as long as the aspirating tube outlet 10 was immersed in liquid anddue to i its rapidity would cause undue wear on all the moving parts. In order to prevent this effect the latch 31 is provided on the handle engaging upon the lower edge 38 of the aperture 4l in the handle bracket 43. When the hand level.` 38 and associated mechanism fare moved toward normal reelongated outlet or throat 62 in the form of an latch 31 from the edge 38 andthe hand lever will be then moved to the right a slight amount further into normal -lling position.

In the"modifled form .of lmy device shown in `of his grasp on hand lever 38 Will be to release Figure 2 there is provided a check valve at the inlet end 1| of the tube 68. The check valve comprises a casing 92 provided with an open end 93 and an inner perforated diaphragm 94. 'I'he valve itself consists of a ball 95 spring pressed by means of a rather lightweight coiled spring 96 to an outward position against the diaphragm. By-use of this modified form of' the device when the liquid rises to a level such as the level previously indicated, the ball will be impelled into a position for closing the inlet 1| either by suction pressure or may be floated into such'a position so that comparatively little liquid of the usual volatile character may enter the aspirating passage 69. 'I'he employment of such a4 device effectively cuts off the aspirating action of the passage 69, rendering the other parts of the device operable to shutoff the liquid valve while at the same time prevents the volatile liquid from being sucked through the passage and eventually expelled in the form of a dangerous mist. After the unlatching stroke ofthe handlever 38 and associated mechanism, the ball 95 is returned to its normally unseated position by' the reversal of air flow through aspirating tube 69.

' Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from'the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within' their scope.

I claim as my invention: 1. A nozzle device for filling containers with liquid provided with an automatic shut-off mechanism comprising a liquid valve in the nozzle' device including an operating arm, a valve opening means cooperable therewith for opening the liquid valve, lever means cooperable with said valve opening means adapted to shift the valve to closed position and a pressure device coupled thereto for actuating said lever means including a passage carrying air under pressure and a branch portion positioned adjacent the nozzle outletl normally providing passage for a flow of air induced by said air pressure in a contrary direction, said outlet being subject to liquid brought into contact therewith by a rise in the liquid level in the container and operable thereby to effect a closing of the liquid valve and interrupt the iiow of liquid from the nozzle.

2. A manually operated lling device including a nozzlefor filling containers with liquid provided with an automatic shut-off mechanism comprising a valve in the filling device including a stem, an operating arm for opening said valve, lever means cooperable with the arm and a pressure device coupled thereto, said pres'sure'device comprising a sealed chamber, a sliding disc therein provided with an extension connected with the lever, a conduit for gas under positive pressure communicating with the atmosphere, a branch conduit for gas connected with said chamber subjected to a negative pressure induced by passage of air through said rst conduit and a second branch conduit open to the atmosphere rendering said rst branch conduit normally ineffective and the disc and connected lever means inactive, said second branch conduit being provided with a portion lying adjacent the nozzle so as to be contacted by the liquid in said container when said liquid reaches a predetermined level and adapted to produce another pressure condition, said plunger and lever being adapted to be displaced under said other pressue condition to release said valvestem and interrupt the flow of liquid from the nozzle.

' 3. A nozzle device for filling containers with liquidk comprising a valve in the nozzle device, an operating arm therefor adapted to open the valve and a pressure operated means for automatically closing the valve, said last means including a lever cooperable with the valve, a cylinder and a plunger therein attached to the lever, a passage for a gas under pressure and a suction jet for expelling the gas therefrom, and a second passage having a portion intermediate its ends surround" ing the jet in aspirating relation thereto, said passage having one end connected with the cylinder and another end positioned adjacent the outlet of said nozzle device so that the suction, jet

action normally induces a potential aspirating.

flow in the second passage inward from and divided between both ends for normally maintaining the plunger in a balanced inoperative position, the nozzle end of said passage-being adapted to be obstructed byadmission of container liquid thereinto whereby to cause substantially the entire aspirating potential to flow in' a direction from the cylinder, said plunger being subject to displacement thereby to shift the lever to an operative -position and automatically close said valve whereby the flow of liquid to the container is interrupted.

4. A manually operated nozzle device provided with an automatic shut-oir mechanism for filling containers with liquid and comprising a nozzle casing and a spout therefor, a valve means in the casingnormally resiliently urged to a closed position including a portion projecting outwardly therefrom, a handle adapted to depress the valve means and admit flow of liquid through the nozzle and a recess on the handle adjacent its contact with the valve means, a link pivotally securing said handle to the casing, a pressure device for operating the link comprising a cylinder anda plunger therein secured to the link, and a gas supply system including an ejector connected with the cylinder and the spout adapted to set up one pressurecondition therein and adapted when the end of the passage adjacent the spout is irnpeded by liquid entering said end to change the pressure condition in said cylinder, said link being adapted to move in response to said change in the pressure condition and to shift the posir tion of the handle thereby releasing said valve and stopping iiow of liquid through the nozzle device.

5. A nozzle device for filling containers with liquid including a casing and a spout, a valve'in the casing, actuating means therefor including said second passage inward from the ends, one` of said ends being connected to said one end of the cylinder, the other of said ends being positioned adjacent the spout vand adapted to be F contacted by the liquid in said container when the level rises above the spout to substantially close said other end of the second passage to air, and a stem on said by-pass valve'having a portion adapted to be shifted by movement of the aaaaees plunger to open said br-pass when the plunger is shifted and admit gas under pressure to'said second passage in a direction at variance with the action of the iet and operable to force liquid from the other end-of said second passage and temporarily destroy the action of said jet.

6. A nozzle device for lling containers with liquid including a casing and a spout, a valve in the casing, actuating means therefor` including an operating arm and a pressure actuated shut-oil means cooperable with the valve comprising a cylinder and a plunger therein operable upon said valve to close the nozzle, a passage adjacent said cylinder terminating in a .iet and provided with a valved by-pass connected to one end of said cylinder and held in a normally closed position, a second passage having a portion adjacent the ends positioned in aspirating relation to the jet whereby a potential flow is set up in said second passage inwardfrom the ends, one of said ends being connected to said one end of the cylinder, the other of saidends being positioned adjacent the spout and adapted to be con- Ytacted by the liquid in said container when the level rises above the spout to substantially close said other end of the second passage to air, and a snap acting stem on said by-pass valve including a spring pressed toggle in contact with the plunger adapted to snap the valve to open position when the plunger is shifted to active position and suddenly admit gas under pressure to said second passage in a direction at variance` with the action of the jet and operable to force liquid from", the other end of said second passage and tem-4 porarily destroy the action of said jet.

'1. A nozzle device for filling containers with liquid including a casing and a spout, a valve in the casing, actuating means therefor including an operating arm and a pressure actuated shutoff means cooperable with the valve comprising a cylinder and a plunger therein operable through said valve to close the nozzle, a passage adjacent said cylinder terminating in a jet and provided with a valved by-pass connected to one end oi said cylinder and held in a normally closed position, a second passage having a portion adjacent the ends positioned in aspirating relation to the jet whereby a potential ow is set up in said second passage inward from the ends, one of said ends being connected to said one end of the cylinder, the other of said ends being positioned adjacent the spout and adapted to be contacted by the liquid in said container when the level rises above the spout, said other end having a liquid operated checlrvalve therein adapted to close said other end of the passage when liquid is brought into contact with said -check valve in order to substantially close said other end of the secondrpassage to air, and a stem on said bypass valve having a portion adapted to be shifted by movement of the plunger to open said bypass when the :plunger is shifted and admit gas under pressure to said second passage in a direction at a variance with the action of the jet and operable to force liquid from the other end of said second passage and temporarily destroy the action of said iet.

8. A nozzle valve device for lling containers with liquid -including -a casing, a spout, a valve, and an'actuating arm for the valve, vanautopirating relation to said jet including one end operatively connected with the shut-oil device in balanced position and the other end adjacent said spout adapted to be partially nlled with liquid when the level thereof rises suilicient to enter the end. and a by-pass between said passages adapted, when said other end of said second passage becomes obstructed. to deilectfsubs tantially the full pressure against said other end whereby to completely ilush said end in a valve comprising a pressurev actuated cylinder and reciprocating plunger means connected with the arm adapted to shift said arm between the operative position and the displaced position to allow shutting oir of said valve, a Jet device having one aspiratinginlet adiacent the spout and another communicating with the cylinder for normally holding the plunger in a position,

rendering said arm operative to open the valve,

said jet -device being adapted when the spout inlet is closed by liquid to shift the plunger and arm to displaced positionto allow Vclosing of the valve whenever the rst inlet is beneath a liquid surface.

10. In a nozzle device for filling containers with volatile liquid including a casig and spout.

, a liquid valve in the casing andan operating arm for the valve on said casing, the combination 4of an automatic shut-oli` device for the valve comprisinga pressure actuated cylinder and plunger means for shutting off said valve, a jet device for gas under pressure having a normally closed aspirating inlet passage communicating with the cylinder and a normally open aspirating inlet passage adjacent the spout adapted to be immersed in the. volatile liquid when the con-1 tainer is ull and a suction jet located intermediate 'said passages, said jet being operable to divide its force between said aspirating passages to maintain a balanced inoperative condition of the plunger means while the open inlet passage remains above the surface of the liquid and ben ing operable to utilize substantially its entire lforce to actuate' said plunger thereby closing `the liquid valve when a quantity of the liquid is drawn'into said open inlet passage, an'd a bypass valve actuable by the plunger upon a shift of the plunger to liquid valve closing position to kadmit gas into the opposite end of said open inletpassage to expel the liquid therefrom.-

1l. In a nozzle device for illling containers with volatile liquid including a casing and spout, a liquid valve in the casing and an operating arml for the valve on said casing, the combination of an automatic shut-oir device for the valve comprising a pressure actuated-cylinder and plunger means for shutting ofi said valve, a jet device for gas under pressure having a normally closed aspirating linlet passage communicating with'the -cylinder and an open aspirating inlet passage vadjacent the spout adapted to be immersed in ithe combustible liquid when -the container is vfull and a suction jet located intermediate said passages, said jet being operable to divide its force between said aspirating passages tor maintain a balanced inoperative condition of the plunger means while the open inlet passage re-4 mains abovethe surface of the liquid and being operable to utilize substantially its entire force to actuate said plunger thereby closing the liquid valve when a quantity of the liquid is drawn into said open inlet passage, a by-pass valve actuable by the plunger upon a shift .of the plunger to liquid valve closing position to admit gas into shut-oil mechanism for the valve, said mechanism comprising a device operated by an auxil-v iary gas pressure and lever means connecting said pressure device with the handle, the pressure device comprising a sealed chamber, a member mounted for movement therein having a connection with said lever means and an aspirating conduit system having passages thereof connected respectively with the source of gas pressure, the sealed chamber, the atmosphere and with an aspirating. inlet secured adjacent, an outlet nozzle adapted to be blocked by fluid rising in the container to a level therewith, said aspirating system being supplied with gas under a pressure adaptedto hold the movable member and lever means inactive under initial conditions, and to actuate said lever and said valve under high liquid level conditions to close the valve. and a, latch device including engaging elements on the handle and on the casing respectively for holding said handle in inoperative position without displacement by the aspirating system whenever the system is subjected to high liquid level conditions.

CHARLES F. WARRICK.

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