GB1562494A

GB1562494A - Nozzles

Info

Publication number: GB1562494A
Application number: GB37646/75A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: EMCO WHEATON; Emco Wheaton UK Ltd
Current assignee: EMCO WHEATON; Emco Wheaton UK Ltd
Priority date: 1975-09-12
Filing date: 1975-09-12
Publication date: 1980-03-12
Also published as: DE2641049A1; FR2323629A1; NL7609881A; ZA765440B; SE7610071L; FR2323629B1

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN NOZZLES (71) We, EMco WHEATON U.K.

LIMITED, a British Company of Westwood, Margate, Kent, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to nozzles having a manually operable valve therein for delivering liquid to a container.

Such nozzles have particular use in delivering fuel to the fuel tank of a vehicle, boat or aircraft. It is desirable for the valve of the nozzle to close automatically when the nozzle is removed from the fuel tank or the fuel tank is filled, even with the manual control in a position to open the valve.

The present invention provides a liquid delivery nozzle comprising a liquid flow control valve, a lever pivotable about a fulcrum member to operate said liquid flow control valve, vacuum-operated closure means to release said fulcrum member from a fixed position and permit movement thereof so as to prevent pivotal movement of the lever operating said liquid flow control valve, and a second, manually engageable lever pivotably mounted to the nozzle so as to engage said first lever for pivoting the first lever about said fulcrum member, whereby, when said fulcrum member is released from its fixed position, regardless of the position of the second lever, said liquid flow control valve remains closed.

Preferably means are provided for overriding the automatic closure functions of the nozzle. Preferably such means comprises a manually operable member, e.g. a button which may be operated to engage said vacuum closure means to prevent operatiqn thereof.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation partly broken away of a preferred nozzle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the nozzle; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of vacuum-operated closure means of the nozzle; and Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of vent means for the vacuum operated closure means.

Referring to the drawings the nozzle comprises an inlet port 2 for connection to a flexible tube (not shown) coupled to a liquid, e.g. petrol, storage container. The inlet 2 communicates via filter 4 with a liquid flow conduit 6 extending to hollow nozzle body 8. A further liquid flow conduit 10 communicates with an outlet 12 defining the tip of the nozzle. For ease of use by an operator, the nozzle has the general shape of a gun and a fixed handle 14 is provided at the top of the nozzle for gripping the nozzle. Handle 14 also serves as a guard for a manually operable lever or trigger 16 disposed between guard 14 and conduit 6. Trigger 16 is in two parts, one part 18 being pivotable at a fulcrum provided by a shoulder 20 at the base of an elongate fulcrum member 22. Part 18 has an enlarged aperture 24 through which extends the end of a rod 26.A circlip ,8 serves to retain the lever part 18 rn the rod 26. The other part 30 of the lever includes a handle portion 32 connected to a U-shaped portion 34, whose free ends are pivotally mounted at 36. U-shaped portion 34 carries a roller 38 for engaging part 18.

Rod 26 forms part of a liquid flow control valve 40 which serves to control the flow of liquid through body 8. Valve 40 comprises a valve member 42 which mounts a seal 46 abutting against an annular valve seat 44. Valve member 42 is formed as an open frame member so that liquid from the inlet 2 can flow via conduit 6 into a chamber 48 of body 4 above the valve member to bias the valve member against seat 44. A biasing spring 50 acts to bias the valve member 42 against the valve seat. Spring 50 also acts as a biassing spring for a bleed valve assembly 52 comprising a valve member 54 secured to rod 26 and mounting a seal 56 which acts against an annular valve seat 58, formed in valve member 42. When valve 52 is opened, liquid flow passages 60 communicate with the chamber 48. A circlip 62 is provided at the base of rod 26 for transmitting movement of the rod to valve member 42.

Mounted directly below valve 40 by means of a spider arrangement 64 is a spring loaded plunger assembly 66. The plunger has a plunger member 68 with a part conical surface 70 biassed by a spring 72 towards an annular surface 74 of the nozzle body 8.

A plurality of small air passages 76, only one of which is shown, form apertures 78 in surface 74. Below plunger assembly 66 conduit 10 is open to the tip of the nozzle 12. At the tip an air inlet 80 is provided; an anti-foam screen 81 shields the inlet.

Air inlet 80 communicates with a tube 82 extending upwardly through conduit 10 to a bore 84 in the nozzle body communicating with a valve 86 (see Figure 4). Bore 84 communicates with air inlets 88 of valve 86. A valve member 90 mounting a seal 92 abuts a valve seat 94 and is mounted on a spring loaded plunger 96. The tip of plunger 96 is disposed for engagement with a lever member 98 pivotally mounted on the exterior of the nozzle at 100 by two leg portions 102 (only one of which is shown) extending either side of conduit 10.

When valve member 90 is lifted from valve seat 94 by movement of plunger 96 inlets 88 communicate with a valve outlet 102 and thence to a bore 104 in the valve body.

Bore 104 communicates with an annular channel 106 communicating via bores 108 (see Figure 1) with an annular channel 110 from which passages 76 extend thereby to establish an air flow path between the passages and air inlet 80. A needle valve 112 is disposed in bores 108 for adjusting air flow rate therethrough.

A bore 114 extends from bores 108 to vacuum operated closure means 120 having a chamber 122 (see Figure 3) on one side of a flexible diaphragm 124. Diaphragm 124 meets a locating member comprising a Umember 126 containing rollers 128 and a spring 130 biasses the diaphragm 124 so that rollers 128 engage within a slot 132 in member 22 and a mounting sleeve 133 for member 22. A spring 134 engages sleeve 133 and the top of member 22 and biasses fulcrum member 22 upwardly. An override button 136 spring biassed outwardly by a spring 138, is movable inwardly to engage diaphragm 124. Button 138 is covered by a diaphragm 140 to prevent the ingress of dirt.

A cap 142 is provided for the end of the nozzle and is attached to the nozzle body 8 by a chain 144. An earthing clip and jack plug assembly 146 is electrically connected to the inlet end of the nozzle and is normally retained in a lug 148 (see Figure 1).

In operation of the nozzle, cap 142 is removed and the tip of the nozzle is inserted into the fuel tank of a vehicle which it is desired to fill so that lever member 98 engages the wall of the tank or vehicle and is pivoted in an upward direction. The operator grips lever 16 and lifts it upwardly.

Lever part 18 pivots about the fulcrum 20 and lifts rod 26 via circlip 28 so that valve member 54 of the bleed valve is lifted from valve seat 56 to allow fluid flow through passages 58 thereby reducing the liquid pressure in chamber 48 behind valve member 42 which pressure normally biasses valve member 42 strongly into engagement with valve seat 44. The relief of the fluid pressure acting on valve member 42 allows manual pressure on lever 16 to lift rod 26 further so that criclip 62 engages the base of valve member 42 to lift the valve member out of engagement with valve seat 44 thereby to permit liquid flow from inlet 2 through the valve. The liquid flowing through valve 40 acts on plunger assembly 66 to depress the plunger assembly and provides a constricted liquid flow path between face 70 and face 74.Since the annular passage between these two faces is narrow, the liquid flows therethrough at a fast rate and tends to create a partial vacuum in passages 76. The size of the passage will be determined by the pressure of the liquid on the annular plunger 68. After passing by plunger member 68, the liquid is free to flow via conduit 10 and nozzle tip 12 into the fuel tank.

Thus for low pressures and flow rates, there will be a very constricted passage but for high pressures and flow rates there will be a much larger passage. In either case, the vacuum created in passages 76 will be constant.

Since lever member 98 is pressed upwardly by engagement with the vehicle or fuel tank, plunger 96 is pressed upwardly to move valve member 90 from valve seat 94 to open valve 86 and to provide an air flow path between air inlet 80 and passages 76. Thus passages 76 are vented and any tendency for a partial vacuum to be created at passages 76 by the flow of liquid therepast is nullified by the flow of air through inlet 80. If however for any reason the nozzle is withdrawn from the container whilst lever 16 is still held upwardly so that liquid is flowing through the nozzle, lever 98 returns to its normal down position, thereby permitting plunger 96 to return to its normal position and for valve 86 to close thereby blocking the air flow passage between air inlet 80 and passages 76.In this condition the partial vacuum created in passages 76 is maintained and is communicated via bores 108, 114 to operate the vacuum-operated closure means as follows.

The vacuum force acts on diaphragm 124 and overcomes the bias of spring 130 so that the diaphragm moves to the left as viewed in Figure 3. This results in rollers 128 being withdrawn from the slot 132 of fulcrum member 22. When this occurs, the force of lever 16 depresses the fulcrum member 22 (spring 134 not being of sufficient rate to withstand the pressure exerted by lever 16 on fulcrum member 22). When fulcrum member 22 moves downwardly, the position of lever 16 changes so that rod 26 is allowed to return to a position in which valves 40 and 52 are closed and the pressure of liquid from inlet 2 serves to hold the valves firmly closed. Lever 16 is provided as a two part member 18, 30 to prevent the lever being held in such a way against guard 14 that the lever continues to hold valve 40 open even through the fulcrum for the lever is not present.No matter in what way lever part 30 is held against guard 14, the movement of fulcrum member 22 will result in movement of lever part 18 over roller 38 by virtue of the enlarged aperture 28, thereby permitting rod 26 to move downwardly to close valves 40 and 52.

Thus the effect of removing the nozzle from the fuel tank is automatically to cutoff the flow of liquid through the nozzle.

A similar effect occurs if the tank is filled, since this will result in air inlet 80 being blocked by the rising level of liquid. This prevents air flowing through inlet 80 to nullify the partial vacuum effect in passages 76.

When an air flow condition is restored, spring 134 biasses fulcrum member 22 back to its upper position so that rollers 128 can again engage within slot 134 to lock member 22 so that lever 16 can operate to open valves 40 and 52.

An override button 126 is provided. When the button is depressed inwardly, the button engages diaphragm 124 to prevent rollers 128 moving out of engagement with slot 132 no matter the condition of lever 98 or inlet 80.

It may thus be seen there is provided a particularly simple and efficient nozzle for delivering liauid into containers such as fuel tanks. The nozzle disclosed is particularly suitable for situations where a large range of flow rates through the nozzle may be reauired. The action of the plunger assembly defining a constricted passageway for liquid flow of variable size, the passage being greater for greater flow rates and smaller for slower flow rates ensures that the partial vacuum created in the air passages is maintained substantially constant throughout the range of liquid flow rates through the nozzle.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A liquid delivery nozzle comprising a liquid flow control valve, a lever pivotable about a fulcrum member to operate said liquid flow control valve, vacuumoperated closure means to release said fulcrum member from a fixed position and permit movement thereof so as to prevent pivotal movement of the lever operating said liquid flow control valve, and a second, manually engageable lever pivotably mounted to the nozzle so as to engage said first lever for pivoting the first lever about said fulcrum member, whereby, when said fulcrum member is released from its fixed position, regardless of the position of the second lever, said liquid flow control valve remains closed.

2. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid flow control valve includes a valve member coupled with said first lever and arranged to be biassed into engagement with a valve seat by pressure of liquid from an inlet of the nozzle, and wherein said manually operable control means is operable to open a bleed valve to relieve pressure on said valve member prior to moving said valve member from said valve seat.

3. A nozzle as claimed in either preceding claim, wherein said vacuum closure means includes a flexible diaphragm connected with a locating member engaging said fulcrum member, the arrangement being such that a vacuum created in said closure means causes movement of said diaphragm to disengage said locating member from said fulcrum member to permit movement of said fulcrum member.

4. A nozzle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said locating member includes a roller engaging in a recess in said fulcrum member transverse to the direction of permitted movement of said fulcrum member.

5. A nozzle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said fulcrum member is elongate and is mounted for said permitted movement in the direction of the length of said member and the base of said fulcrum member has a shoulder portion engaged by said lever.

6. A nozzle as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising an air passage connecting said closure means to a liquid flow passage of the nozzle to cause vacuum to be applied to said closure means when liquid is flowing, and mechanical means arranged to vent said air passage when the nozzle is inserted in a filling opening of a container.

7. A nozzle as claimed in claim 6, including a spring loaded plunger assembly disposed adjacent the inlet of said air pass

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. condition the partial vacuum created in passages 76 is maintained and is communicated via bores 108, 114 to operate the vacuum-operated closure means as follows. The vacuum force acts on diaphragm 124 and overcomes the bias of spring 130 so that the diaphragm moves to the left as viewed in Figure 3. This results in rollers 128 being withdrawn from the slot 132 of fulcrum member 22. When this occurs, the force of lever 16 depresses the fulcrum member 22 (spring 134 not being of sufficient rate to withstand the pressure exerted by lever 16 on fulcrum member 22). When fulcrum member 22 moves downwardly, the position of lever 16 changes so that rod 26 is allowed to return to a position in which valves 40 and 52 are closed and the pressure of liquid from inlet 2 serves to hold the valves firmly closed. Lever 16 is provided as a two part member 18, 30 to prevent the lever being held in such a way against guard 14 that the lever continues to hold valve 40 open even through the fulcrum for the lever is not present.No matter in what way lever part 30 is held against guard 14, the movement of fulcrum member 22 will result in movement of lever part 18 over roller 38 by virtue of the enlarged aperture 28, thereby permitting rod 26 to move downwardly to close valves 40 and 52. Thus the effect of removing the nozzle from the fuel tank is automatically to cutoff the flow of liquid through the nozzle. A similar effect occurs if the tank is filled, since this will result in air inlet 80 being blocked by the rising level of liquid. This prevents air flowing through inlet 80 to nullify the partial vacuum effect in passages 76. When an air flow condition is restored, spring 134 biasses fulcrum member 22 back to its upper position so that rollers 128 can again engage within slot 134 to lock member 22 so that lever 16 can operate to open valves 40 and 52. An override button 126 is provided. When the button is depressed inwardly, the button engages diaphragm 124 to prevent rollers 128 moving out of engagement with slot 132 no matter the condition of lever 98 or inlet 80. It may thus be seen there is provided a particularly simple and efficient nozzle for delivering liauid into containers such as fuel tanks. The nozzle disclosed is particularly suitable for situations where a large range of flow rates through the nozzle may be reauired. The action of the plunger assembly defining a constricted passageway for liquid flow of variable size, the passage being greater for greater flow rates and smaller for slower flow rates ensures that the partial vacuum created in the air passages is maintained substantially constant throughout the range of liquid flow rates through the nozzle. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A liquid delivery nozzle comprising a liquid flow control valve, a lever pivotable about a fulcrum member to operate said liquid flow control valve, vacuumoperated closure means to release said fulcrum member from a fixed position and permit movement thereof so as to prevent pivotal movement of the lever operating said liquid flow control valve, and a second, manually engageable lever pivotably mounted to the nozzle so as to engage said first lever for pivoting the first lever about said fulcrum member, whereby, when said fulcrum member is released from its fixed position, regardless of the position of the second lever, said liquid flow control valve remains closed.

age in said liquid flow passage for controlling the rate of flow of liquid adjacent the air passage inlet for maintaining a constant vaccum at said air passage inlet.

8. A nozzle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plunger assembly has a part conical surface cooperating with a part conical surface in said liquid flow passage and in which said air inlet is disposed to provide an annular flow path for said liquid.

9. A nozzle as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein said mechanical vent means includes a lever mounted on the exterior of said nozzle for pivotal movement when engaged by said container to be filled by the nozzle to a position in which the lever engages plunger means coupled with said air passage whereby to cause said air passage to be vented.

10. A nozzle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plunger means is connected with the valve member of a valve disposed in a vent for said air passage whereby movement of said lever causes movement of the valve member to vent said air passage.

11. A nozzle as claimed in any preceding claim including means for automatically closing said valve when said container reaches a full condition.

12. A nozzle as claimed in claim 11, including a vent for said air passage extending to an inlet at or adjacent to the tip of said nozzle.

13. A nozzle as claimed in any preceding claim including means for overriding the vacuum operated closure.

14. A nozzle as claimed in claim 13, including a manually operable override member arranged to engage said vacuum operated closure means to prevent operation thereof.

15. A nozzle as claimed in claim 3 or 4 including means for overriding the vacuum operated closure comprising a manually operable member movable to engage said diaphragm and to prevent said release movement thereof.

16. A nozzle as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 further comprising a valve for adjusting the air flow rate through said air passage.

17. A nozzle as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein said mechanical vent means is arranged on the nozzle in a position such that it is protected from damage if the nozzle is dropped on a flat surface.

18. A liquid delivery nozzle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.