US3572185A

US3572185A - Tool for actuating pressurizing pump of fuel tank

Info

Publication number: US3572185A
Application number: US806518A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard L Compton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-12
Filing date: 1969-03-12
Publication date: 1971-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-23

Abstract

A HAND-HELD TOOL HAVING AN L-SHAPED HANDLE SUPPORTING A RECIPROCABLE FORK FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BASE OF A KNOB ON A PLUNGER ROD EMPLOYED FOR PRESSURIZING A FUEL TANK TO GRASP THE KNOB BETWEEN THE FORK AND A SEAL MEANS ON THE END OF THE HANDLE WHICH SEALS A VENT OPENING IN

THE KNOB TO ENABLE PRESSURIZATION OF THE TANK BY MANUAL RECIPROCATION OF THE TOOL AND ROD.

Description

a h 3, 1971 R. L. COMPTON ETOOL FOR ACTUATING PRESSURIZING PUMP FUEL TANK Filed March 12, 1969 INVENTOR RICHARD L.COMPTON BY masm United States Patent Oflice 31,572,185 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 3,572,185 TOOL FOR ACTUATING PRESSURIZING PUMP F FUEL TANK Richard L. Compton, 2025 N. Fremont, Springfield, Mo. 65803 Filed Mar. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 806,518 Int. Cl. B251 11/00 US. Cl. 81-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand-held tool having an L-shaped handle supporting a reciprocable fork for engagement with the base of a knob on a plunger rod employed for pressurizing a fuel tank to grasp the knob between the fork and a seal means on the end of the handle which seals a vent opening in the knob to enable pressurization of the tank by manual reciprocation of the tool and rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the field of hand-held tools and is more specifically directed to a hand-held tool for engaging the plunger pump associated with fuel tanks of the type normally employing liquid fuel. The invention enables a much more easy, less tiring and convenient reciprocation of the plunger to pressurize such fuel tanks.

Many heating devices employ fuel tanks containing fuel such as white gasoline for use with burners associated with such devices. Such fuel tanks must be pressurized with atmospheric air in order to force the fuel through the burners for combustion. Devices of this sort come in a wide variety of forms such as portable lanterns, camp stoves, blow torches and numerous other variations.

Pressurization of the fuel tanks of such devices is accomplished by a reciprocable plunger rod of a pump which is mounted in the fuel tank wall and is reciprocated to force atmospheric air into the interior of the tank. The outer end of the plunger rod is provided with a knob and a vent extends through the plunger rod and through the knob in a coaxial manner to connect the interior of the tank with the atmosphere by means of a vent opening on the outer end of the knob. The user of devices of this sort grasps the inside of the knob with his index finger and middle finger with the plunger rod located between these fingers and the outer end surface of the knob engaging his thumb so as to clamp the knob between the two fingers and the thumb. Moreover, it is necessary during the pumping reciprocation of the plunger rod to maintain the thumb in a sealing engagement over the vent opening in the knob so as to retain pressure within the fuel tank. Since the pressurization operation requires a fairly large force and takes considerable time, the hand, fingers and thumb of the user become quite tired and fatigued. The amount of physical effort necessary for pres surizing such fuel tanks is so tiring and fatiguing as to prevent persons not endowed with a great deal of strength such as children and women from successfully pressurizing such tanks. This problem has become all the more critical in recent times by virtue of the widespread usage of such tanks in camp stoves, lanterns and the like employed by all types of persons on camping expeditions.

While it would be impossible to employ larger knobs on the plunger rod of pumps of this sort, such would obviously increase the size and weight of devices of this sort so as to consequently detrimentally affect their portability. Therefore, there has been a great need for means which would easily enable pressurization of the fuel tanks of devices of this sort which has remained unmet up until this time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved tool for enabling the user of devices employing pressurizable fuel tanks to easily pressurize such tanks.

Obtainment of the object of this invention is enabled by the provision of an elongated L-shaped handle member which is grasped by the hand of the user. A sealing cup is attached to one end of the handle member and a fork shaped bifurcated clamp is mounted for reciprocation on one end of the handle member. The bifurcated clamp is moved by manual engagement of a trigger type member with one or more fingers of the user. The fork shaped clamp is in alignment with the sealing member and can be moved toward the sealing member by the user so as to clamp the knob of the plunger rod between the fork and the sealing means. The tool can then be reciprocated so as to pressurize the tank with great ease and can subsequently be rotated to enable retention of the knob and plunger in fixed sealing position in the tank with little or no manual effort on the part of the user. Moreover, the tool enables the user to grasp same by use of the entire hand so there is practically no finger or thumb fatigue as occurrs during pressurization of such tanks without the use of the inventive tool.

Consequently, this invention provides a uniquely easy to use, inexpensive, yet totally eflicient device which can be used by anyone on any number of heating devices requiring pressurization of the fuel tank. For example, the same tool could be used for pressurizing the fuel tanks of both a camp stove and a lantern such as would normally be used by a camper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of usage of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a bisecting sectional view along lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Attention is initially invited to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates the preferred embodiment 10 of the instant invention being held in the hand 12 of a user for pressurizing the fuel tank 14 of a lantern 16. It should be understood that the instant invention is not limited to use with lanterns but is equally effective for pressurizing the fuel tanks of other devices such as stoves and the like which employ a reciprocable plunger rod 18 which, when reciprocated, serves to pressurize the tank.

Plunger rods of this type are characterized by an outer knob 20 having a vent opening 22 communicating with an axial vent 24 extending through the knob and rod. In use, the user normally places his index and middle fingers on the side of the knob in'wardly toward the fuel tank with the rod 18 extending therebetween while simul taneously placing his thumb over the vent opening 22 for sealing the tank. It is necessary that the vent opening 22 be closed during the pumping operation of the rod 18. Otherwise, pressure within the tank would easily escape and it would be impossible to pressurize the tank. Unfortunately, the amount of effort necessary for pressurizing such tanks and the time required for such is sufficiently great to cause the users hand to become tired during the pressurization of the tank 14. Moreover, upon completion of the pressurization, it is necessary that the knob 20 and rod 18 be rotated to a locked position in order to retain pressure within the tank. This rotation must be accomplished while retaining the thumb in sealing overlapped relationship with respect to the vent opening 22 and requires considerable eifort on the part of the user.

The instant invention completely eliminates the necessity for manually grasping the knob 20 and is in the form of a tool that simultaneously grasps the knob and also seals the vent opening 22. Tool 10 comprises an elongated handle means generally designated 26 and having a sealing means in the form of a pliable rubber cup 28 on one end. Handle means 26 is L-shaped and comprises a guide arm portion 30 and a grip arm portion 32 which are oriented in substantially perpendicular arrangement with respect to each other.

A reciprocable actuator means generally designated 34 is fixed to a tubular guide member 36 which is mounted on the guide arm portion 30 for reciprocation thereon in an obvious manner as best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Actuator member 34 has a manually engageable means in the form of a trigger plate 38 on one end which is engageable by one or more of the fingers of the user for reciprocating the actuator member in an obvious manner. The other end of the actuator member 34 comprises clamping means in the form of a bifurcated fork member 40 formed of

legs

42 and 44 between which is located a slot 46 as shown in FIG. 4. Slot 46 is of such a width as to easily receive rod 18 in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

In use, the bifurcated fork is slipped over rod 18 and the actuator member 34 reciprocated by the index finger of the user so that the vent opening 22 is sealed by the sealing member 28 as shown in FIG. 3. The device is then reciprocated by the user to pressurize the fuel tank 14. Such reciprocation is easily accomplished and the hand of the user does not become exhausted or tired as would occur without usage of the tool. Moreover, upon completion of the pressurization, it is a simple matter to rotate the tool and the knob 20 clamped therebetween to the sealing position so that the tool can then be removed without any loss of pressure from the vent opening 22.

Numerous variations will occur to those skilled in the art and it should be understood that the invention forming the subject matter of this application should be limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hand-held tool for use with a reciprocating plunger pump of the type employed for pressurizing fuel tanks and having a reciprocable plunger rod with a manually engageable knob means on its outer end and a coaxial vent extending through the rod and the knob to a vent opening on the outer end of the knob, said rod being manually reciprocable for pressurizing the container and being rotatable for sealing the container, said tool comprising an elongated handle means, a sealing means on one end of said handle means for sealingly engaging said vent opening, guide means mounting a reciprocable actuator member for reciprocation on said handle means, clamp means on one end of said actuator member in alignment with said sealing means and manually engageable means on the other end of said actuator means for reciprocating said actuator means on said lever to forcefully grasp said knob between said clamp and said sealing means to seal said vent opening from the atmosphere so that subsequent axial reciproation of said tool serves to reciprocate said plunger rod to consequently pressurize said tank.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said clamp means comprises a bifurcated fork member having a slot formed by two spaced arms which engage the base of said knob when said plunger rod is received in said slot.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said elongated handle means is L-shaped and includes a guide arm mounting said reciprocable actuator member and a grip arm which is gripped by the hand of the user.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said guide means comprises a tubular guide member coaxially received over said guide arm.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said manually engageable means comprises a trigger plate engageable by one or more fingers of the user and extending in a direction radially with respect to said guide tube.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said L-shaped handle means is of cylindrical metallic rod construction.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said sealing means is a pliable cup received over the end of said guide arms.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said actuator member. said trigger and said bifurcated fork are formed of a unitary piece of metal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,889 4/1962 Parker 254-93X OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner