GB934384A - Fluid handling apparatus, e.g. for filling tanks with volatile liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

934,384. Filling tanks. CHIKSAN CO. May 17, 1961 [June 23, 1960; Nov. 17, 1960], No. 17968/61. Class 21. [Also in Groups XXVIII, XXIX and XXX] A fluid conveying apparatus comprising two tubes one of which discharges a liquid into a receiving vessel and the other discharges a vapour from the vessel is mounted on a vertical support 42 and includes two horizontal tubes 50, 54 pivoted for rotation about a vertical axis 24 on swivel joints 48, 52 and two further tubes 66, 72 mounted for pivotal movement by means of a universal joint 56 on the free ends of the tubes 50, 54. The raising and lowering of the tubes 66, 72 is carried out by a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder assembly controlled by a manually operated valve 122. Fluid e.g. petroleum is pumped from a supply 44, Figs. 1 and 2, through a riser pipe 38, tube 50 and through one passageway in the joint 56 and through the tube 66 and thence down a pipe 86 into a tank 93. The pipe 86 is surounded by a hood 88 which makes a gas tight seal with a flange 91 on the tank. The vapour normally lost through dissipation passes into the hood 88 and is returned by means of the tubes 72, 54 to a pipe 36 from which it is passed to a vapour recovery line 96. A product control valve 80 operated by handle 132 or 134 is fitted in the pipe 66. Various modified forms of apparatus include means for ensuring that the valve 80 cannot be opened unless the hood 88 is in proper sealing engagement with the flange 91 and/or the tank is not already full. One modified form of apparatus includes the pneumatic assembly shown in Fig. 13. A core 120 of the valve 112 is moved to the right to connect high and low (atmospheric) pressure lines 116, 118 to lines 306, 302 to raise the tubes 66, 72. If both valves 314 and 332 are closed the pressure created in the line 302 passes down a pipe 308 through a flow restriction 310 and into a cylinder 318 via a pipe 316. A piston 320 then operates against the action of a spring 228 to move a one way valve 226 into the path of tube 304. This prevents the air from the pipe 302 from venting to the atmosphere via pipe 118 and thus the tubes 66, 72 will not be raised if the valves 314, 332 are both closed. The valve 314 is opened, to vent the tube 316 which allows the spring 228 to move the core 194 to the position shown to vent the pipe 302 through passage 192 so that the tubes 66, 72 can be raised, by means of a float 160 which is operated when the tank 93 is full. The valve 332 can be opened manually at any stage. If the assembly indicated in broken lines in Fig. 13 is also used, pipes 400, 254 apply pressure to a piston and cylinder assembly 182 which open the normally closed valve 80. A valve 270 is also arranged to be maintained open to vent the assembly except when the head is pressed into sealing engagement with the tank. In a further modification instead of the pressure in the assembly being used to open the valve 80 by means of the cylinder 182, pressurised air is passed into a pipe 470 of a clutch 408 connecting an opening handle 446 to the valve 80. The clutch comprises a diaphragm 464 e.g. of rubber having a metal backing plate 462. The plate is forced by pressure on the diaphragm against a pair of ball bearings 460 located in holes 458 in a plate 456 attached to the handle to press them into recesses in a block 438 which is rotated to open the valve. When the pressure is released the block 438 free-wheels relative to the handle 446 and closes the valve 80 under the action of a spring.