US3294128A - Automatic dispensing nozzle - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1966 c, c, POYNTER 3,294,128

AUTOMATIC DISPENSING NOZZLE Filed May 18, 1964 10 H IZ I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS CORBIN C. POYNTER United States Patent 3,294,128 AUTOMATIC DISPENSING NOZZLE Corbin C. Poynter, Downers Grove, Ill., assignor to Dover Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,097 12 Claims. (Cl. 141-209) This invention relates to improved means for auto matically shutting off a dispensing nozzle or the like upon the occurrence of a sensed condition.

It is well known that automatic shutoff nozzles have been provided for gasoline pumps and the like wherein an actuating lever for opening and closing the nozzle can be latched in its open position and wherein suitable mechanism is provided for releasing the actuating lever so the same can automatically move to its OFF position when the gasoline tank of the automobile or the like has been substantially completely filled without requiring the gasoline operator to shut off such nozzle.

According to the teachings of this invention, improved means are provided for automatically releasing the actuating lever from its latched open position so that the same can automatically move to its closed position upon the sensing of a condition, such as the sensing of a filled gasoline tank or the like.

More specifically, this invention relates to an improved latching means which will unlatch a plunger that is operatively interconnected to the actuating lever when a filled condition is sensed so that the plunger will automatically release the actuating lever from its latched open position.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide improved means for automatically shutting off a nozzle 01' the like when a certain condition exists, the invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectioned, side view of the improved automatic shutoff nozzle of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the improved parts of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the latching member of this invention in its latching positioning.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the various operating parts of this invention.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for controlling anautomatic shutoff nozzle or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide control means for other devices as desired.

Therefore this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved automatic shutoff nozzle of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and comprises a housing means 11 having an inlet chamber 12 adapted to be interconnected to a source of fluid or the like at the end 13 thereof. The housing 11 includes a spout portion 14 adapted to be received in a conventional vehicular gasoline tank fill pipe or the like and remain therein merely by the interlocking relation between the spout and fill pipe.

A valve seat 15 separates the inlet chamber 12 from the interior 16 of the spout 14 and is opened and closed by a valve member 17 normally urged to the closed position by a compression spring 18.

A shaft 19 is carried by the housing 11 and has one end 20 engageable with the valve member 17 and another end thereof 21 projecting from the housing 11.

An axially movable link 22 extends from the housing 11 connected to plunger 45 and pivotally carries one end 23 of an actuating lever 24 by means of a pivot pin 25. The actuating lever 24 is normally urged to the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 by a compression spring 26 whereby the shaft 19 is adapted to be disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 by the force of the compression spring 18 so that the valve member 17 closes off the inlet chamber 12 from the nozzle chamber 16.

However, when the actuating lever 24 is moved from the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the dotted position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the end 23 of the lever 24 abuts against the shaft 19 and moves the same upwardly to open the valve member 17 whereby fuel from the inlet chamber 12 thereof can flow through the opened valve seat 15 to the spout 14 and be dispensed out of the opened end 27 thereof.

In order to hold the actuating lever 24 in its valve opening position as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, a latching member 28 is pivotally carried by the housing 11 by a pivot pin means 29, the latching member 23 normally being urged to the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 by suitable spring means (not shown) but beingadapted to be moved to the dotted position illustrated in FIGURE 1 and receive the right end 30 of the lever 24 in a notch 31 thereof to hold the lever 24 in its valve opening position as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

Thus, the actuating lever 24 will remain in the latched dotted position illustrated in FIGURE 1 by means of the latch member 28 until the latch member 28 is either manually released from the lever 24 or the lever 24 is automatically released from the latch member 28 in a manner hereinafter described.

Accordingly, it can be seen that when the actuating lever 24 is disposed in the dotted position illustrated in FIG- URE 1, fuel is adapted to fiow through the automatic shutoff nozzle 10 of this invention to be dispensed out of the end 27 thereof.

As illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, the housing 11 has a chamber 32 formed therein and defined in part by a flexible diaphragm 33 normally held in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 by a compression spring 34, the compression spring 34 having one end 35 bearing against the cap 74 and the other end 36 thereof bearing against a cup-shaped retainer 37 fastened to the diaphragm 33 by a threaded fastening member 38 having an enlarged head 39 on one end thereof and a threaded shank portion 40 received in a threaded bore of a retainer 41 disposed on the other side of the diaphragm 33.

The chamber 32 is interconnected to the outlet side of the valve seat 15 by a passage means 42 and to a conduit 43 by an open end means 44, the conduit 43 extending down the nozzle 14 and terminating in such open end means short of the end 27 thereof but closely adjacent thereto.

Thus, as the fuel flows through the opened valve member 17 of the nozzle 10 of this invention, the same creates a suction at the end of the passage 42 to tend to draw air out of the chamber 32. However, since the end 44 of the conduit 43 is uncovered, air is permitted to travel up the conduit 43 into the chamber 32 in a continuous 3 manner whereby the diaphragm 33 remains in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2.

However, when the gas tank fill pipe receiving the spout portion 14 of the shutoff valve 14 of this invention begins to fill up to such a level that the liquid level covers the end 44 of the conduit 43, no more air can be sucked into the chamber 32 from the conduit 43 whereby a vacuum condition is created in the chamber 32 and draws the diaphragm 33 upwardly for a purpose hereinafter described. I

An axially movable plunger 45 is carried by the housing 11 and has one end 46 thereof received in a slot 47 of the axially movable link 22. The plunger 45 has an outwardly directed annular flange 48 at the other end 49 thereof, the flange 48 normally being urged upwardly against a plate-like member 50 carried by the housing 11 by a compression spring 51 having one end 52 bearing against the' fiange 43 and the other end 53 thereof bearing against the housing 11.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 the end 49 of the plunger 45 forms a head which projects upwardly through an opening 54 in the plate-like member 50 and has a beveled or shouldered under surface 55 utilized for a purpose hereinafter described. The end 49 of the plunger 45 also has an opposed beveled camming surface 56 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A slidable latching member 57 is provided and has a pair of outwardly directed ears 58 adapted to be disposed between ears 59 on the plate 50, the ears 59 being adapted to be folded over the latching member 57 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 so as to guide sliding movement of the latching member 57 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The latching member 57 has a circular opening 60 passing therethrough and adapted to receive the end 49 of the plunger 45, the latching member 57 also having an upwardly directed tongue 61 for a purpose now to be described.

An L-shaped lever 62 of bell-crank form is provided and is adapted to have its elbow 63 pivotally mounted to upwardly extending tangs 64 of the plate-like member 50 by a pivot pin 65 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 2. The one arm 66 of the L-shaped member 62 has a cutout or slot 67 provided therein to receive the retainer extension 41 of the diaphragm 43. This extension 41 having an annular groove 68 provided therein and adapted to receive the edge means 69 of the arm 66 of the L-shaped member 62 whereby the L-shaped member 62 is operatively interconnected to the diaphragm 33.

Theo other arm 70 of the L-shaped member 62 comprises a pair of depending tangs 71 each having a slot 72 in the free end thereof to receive the tongue 61 of the latching member 57 whereby the latching member 57 is operatively interconnected to the L-shaped member 62.

When the nozzle structure of this invention is disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, it can be seen that the force of the compression spring 34 tends to move the diaphragm 33 downwardly and pivot the L- shaped member 62 in a counterclockwise direction whereby the arm means 70 thereof tends to slide the latching member 57 to the right in the drawing.

However, rightward movement of the latching member 57 under the force of the compression spring 34 is limited by the edge means 73 of the opening 60 of the latching member 57 being drawn against the beveled surface 55 of the end 49 of the plunger 45.

Thus, the nozzle structure 10 remains in the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 until the same is operated in a manner now to be described.

When it is desired to fill a gasoline tank of an automobile or the like, the operator takes the nozzle structure 10 and inserts the spout portion 14 thereof in the filler pipe of the automobile. Thereafter, the operator pulls upwardly on the actuating lever 24 from the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the dotted line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to open the valve member 17 thereof. The operator then latches the actuating lever 24 in the dotted position by means of the latch member 28 whereby the assembly remains in the dotted position illustrated in FIGURE 1 until the gasoline tank is filled in a manner hereinafter described.

As previously stated, when the lever 24 is moved from the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the dotted line position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the plunger 45 cannot move downwardly under the force of the compression spring 18 because the latching member 57 is hooked under the beveled surface 55 of the plunger 45 and prevents downward axial movement thereof. The right end 30 of the lever 24 is held up by the latch member 28.

Thus the opened valve member 17 permits fuel to How into the gasoline tank and the vacuum condition created at the end of the passage means 42 is relieved by the end 44 of the conduit 43 whereby the diaphragm 33 remains in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2.

However, when the gasoline tank begins to fill up and the liquid level thereof covers the open end 44 of the conduit 43, no air can now enter the chamber 32 of the nozzle structure 10 from the conduit 43 to replace the air being sucked therefrom by the vacuum condition being created at the end of the passage means 42 whereby the diaphragm 33 is drawn upwardly in opposition to the force of the compression spring 34.

This upward movement of the diaphragm 33 causes clockwise pivoting of the L-shaped lever 62 whereby the arm means 70 thereof slides the latching member from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to the left until the opening 60 thereof clears the beveled surface 55 of the end 49 of the plunger 45 and permits the plunger 45 to be snapped downwardly through the alined openings 60 and 54 of the latching member 57 and plate-like means 50 by the force of the compressed spring 26 to draw the link 22 downwardly whereby the end 30 of the actuating lever 24 is kicked upwardly to permit the latching member 28 to swing outwardly to its full line position under the biasing means whereby the compression spring 18 closes the valve member 17 against the valve seat 15 to terminate the flow of gasoline through the nozzle structure 10.

With the termination of gasoline flow through the nozzle 10 a vacuum condition will no longer be created at the end of the passage means 42 and the chamber 32 returns to normal atmospheric condition by means of the passage means 42 whereby the compression spring 34 returns the diaphragm 33 back to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, the force of the compression spring 51 also returns the plunger 45 back to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 whereby the beveled surface 56 of end 49 can cam the latching member 57 so that the same will clear the opening 60 thereof and be relatched thereby and the lever 24 is returned to the full line position shown in FIGURE 1.

Therefore, it can be seen that the slidable latching member 57 of this invention operates in a unique manner to permit automatic shutoff of the nozzle 10 when a filled condition is sensed by the nozzle 10.

Further, it can be seen that the parts of this invention are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and readily permit themselves to be assembled together in a unique and economical manner to provide an improved automatic shutoff nozzle or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic shutoff dispensing nozzle or the like including a housing having an actuating lever for opening and closing said nozzle and having diaphragm sensing means for automatically closing said nozzle when a filled condition is sensed thereby, the improvement comprising an elongate axially reciprocable member carried by said housing, means operatively interconnecting one end of said member to said lever, a latch member supported for reciprocal sliding movement transversely of said elongate member adjacent to the other end of the latter for engaging and latching said elongate member in one position relative to said housing, interengaging means between said other end of said elongate member and said latch member for effecting said latching of the elongate member in said one position, means tending to move said elongate member axially to another position to release said lever from its nozzle opening position, means operatively interconnected between said diaphragm sensing means and said latch member to slide said latch member to its unlatching position when a filled condition is sensed whereby said elongate member can be moved to said another position, means acting to return said elongate member to said one position thereof, and means acting to reversely slide said latch member and effect re-interengagement of said other end of the elongate member with said latch member by the return movement of said elongate member to the said one position.

2. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 1, said means operatively interconnected between said sensing means and said latch member comprising a pivotally mounted lever.

3. In an automatic shutoif nozzle as set forth in claim 1, said latch member having an opening therein receiving said elongate member to latch said elongate member in said one position thereof.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said interengaging means between said other end of said elongate member and said latch plate member includes a head on said other end having a shouldered undersurface, and an opening in said latch plate member through which said head extends with said shouldered undersurface engaging an edge of the opening.

5. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said interengaging means between said other end of said elongate member and said latch plate member includes a head on said other end having a shouldered undersurface, an opening in said latch plate member through which said head extends with said shouldered undersurface engaging an edge of the opening, spring means urging return of said elongate member to said one axial position, and camming means forming a part of said head of said elongate member for passage through said opening and engagement with said edge of said opening upon return movement of said elongate member toward said one axial position to slide said latch member to a position facilitating re-engagement of said shoulder with said edge of said opening.

6. In an automatic shutoff dispensing nozzle or the like including a housing having an actuating lever for opening and closing said nozzle and having a flexible diaphragm sensing means for automatically closing said nozzle when a filled condition is sensed by said means, the improvement comprising an axially movable elongate member carried by said housing and having one end thereof operatively interconnected with said lever, a latch plate member slidable transversely of and interlocking with said elongate member adjacent to the opposite end of the latter for securing the elongate member in one axial position relative to said housing, spring means tending to reversely move said elongate member to another axial position to release said lever from its nozzle opening position, and 5 pivotally mounted lever means of bell-crank form operatively interconnected between said diaphragm sensing means and said latch plate member to slide said latch plate member to its unlocking position when a filled condition is sensed by the sensing means whereby said elongate member can move to said other axial position thereof.

7. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 6, said interlocking of the latch plate member with said elongate member embodies an opening in the latch plate member receiving said elongate member to latch the latter in said one position thereof.

8. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 7, said elongate member having an annular groove receiving the peripheral edge of said opening whereby said elongate member is latched in said one position thereof.

9. In an automatic shutoff nozzle or the like having an actuating lever for opening and closing said nozzle and having a flexible diaphragm for automatically closing said nozzle when said diaphragm is moved from one position thereof to another position thereof, the improvement comprising an axially movable plunger carried by said housing and having one end thereof operatively interconnected to said lever, slidable latching means for latching said plunger in one axial position relative to said housing, spring means tending to move said plunger to 30 another axial position to release said lever from its nozzle opening position, and an L-shaped member having one arm thereof interconnected to said diaphragm and having the other arm thereof interconnected to said latching means, said L-shapecl member being pivotally mounted at the elbow thereof whereby said L-shaped member slides said latching means to its unlatching position when said diaphragm moves to said other position thereof.

10. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 9, said latching means having an outwardly directed tongue and said other arm of said L-shaped member having slot means therein receiving said tongue.

11. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 9, said diaphragm having an extension provided with an annular groove and said one arm of said L-shaped member having edge means received in said groove.

12. In an automatic shutoff nozzle as set forth in claim 9, a plate-like member carried by said nozzle and guiding sliding movement of said latching means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,725,826 8/ 1929 Payne 141209 2,343,903 3/ 1944 Hammand 141209 2,354,209 7/1944 Hammand 141-209 2,827,929 3/1958 McCarty 141209 2,882,939 4/1959 Dixon 141209 3,216,465 11/1965 Boone et al 141-209 SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Examiner.

H. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF DISPENSING NOZZLE OR THE LIKE INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING AN ACTUATING LEVER FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID NOZZLE AND HAVING DIAPHRAGM SENSING MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING SAID NOZZLE WHEN A FILLED CONDITION IS SENSED THEREBY, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN ELONGATE AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING, MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTING ONE END OF SAID MEMBER TO SAID LEVER, A LATCH MEMBER SUPPORTED FOR RECIPROCAL SLIDING MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ELONGATE MEMBER ADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF THE LATTER FOR ENGAGING AND LATCHING SAID ELONGATE MEMBER AND SAID SITION RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING, INTERENGAGING MEANS BETWEEN SAID OTHER END OF SAID ELONGATE MEMBER AND SAID LATCH MEMBER FOR EFFECTING SAID LATCHING OF THE ELONGATE MEMBER IN SAID ONE POSITION, MEANS TENDING TO MOVE SAID ELONGATE MEMBER AXIALLY TO ANOTHER POSITION TO RELEASE SAID LEVER FROM ITS NOZZLE OPENING POSITION, MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID DIAPHRAGM SENSING MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEMBER TO SLIDE SAID LATCH MEMBER TO ITS UNLATCHING POSITION WHEN A FILLED CONDITION IS SENSED WHEREBY SAID ELONGATE MEMBER CAN BE MOVED TO SAID ANOTHER POSITION, MEANS ACTING TO RETURN SAID ELONGATE MEMBER TO SAID ONE POSITION THEREOF, AND MEANS ACTING TO REVERSELY SLIDE SAID LATCH MEMBER AND EFFECT RE-INTERENGAGEMENT OF SAID OTHER END OF THE ELONGATE MEMBER WITH SAID LATCH MEMBER BY THE RETURN MOVEMENT OF SAID ELONGATE MEMBER TO THE SAID ONE POSITION.

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