WO1998056710A1

WO1998056710A1 - A fluid dispensing nozzle

Info

Publication number: WO1998056710A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/001551
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack Gall Thomson
Original assignee: Swivel Assets Ltd.
Priority date: 1997-06-11
Filing date: 1998-06-11
Publication date: 1998-12-17
Also published as: GB9712061D0

Abstract

A fluid dispensing nozzle having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet through which fluid is dispensed, a fluid passageway within the nozzle along which fluid flows between the inlet and outlet, a main valve located within the passageway for controlling flow of fluid between said inlet and outlet, the main valve being movable between a valve open position and a valve closed position, a valve actuating piston mechanically coupled with the main valve, the valve actuating piston communicating with fluid in said passageway to cause the main valve to move to its open or closed position and manually operable valve control means for controlling flow of fluid to said actuating piston for controlling opening and closing of said main valve.

Description

A FLUID DISPENSING NOZZLE

The present invention relates to a fluid dispensing nozzle, in particular but not exclusively to a nozzle suitable for use in dispensing fluids such as petroleum or diesel at fuel filling stations.

A general aim of the present invention is to provide a fuel dispensing nozzle which requires little manual operating force to maintain the nozzle open whilst dispensing fluid.

Advantageously the nozzle includes an automatic shut-off actuation assembly which is responsive to fuel reaching a predetermined level in a container being filled and causes the nozzle to automatically close to stop dispensing of fuel through the nozzle.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid dispensing nozzle having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet through which fluid is dispensed, a fluid passageway within the nozzle along which fluid flows between the inlet and outlet, a main valve located within the passageway for controlling flow of fluid between said inlet and outlet, the main valve being movable between a valve open position and a valve closed position, a valve actuating piston mechanically coupled with the main valve, the valve actuating piston communicating with fluid in said passageway to cause the main valve to move to its open or closed position and manually operable valve control means for controlling flow of fluid to said actuating piston for controlling opening and closing of said main valve. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid dispensing nozzle having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet through which fluid is dispensed, a fluid passageway within the nozzle along which fluid flows between the inlet and outlet, a main valve located within the passageway for controlling flow of fluid between said inlet and outlet, fluid actuation means in fluid communication with the passageway and being operable on the valve for modifying the force applied on the valve by fluid pressure in the passageway, and manually operable actuation means operatively connected to the valve for controlling operation of said valve.

Preferably for both aspects defined above, the main valve is arranged such that fluid pressure in the passageway acts thereupon to open the valve.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section along a first embodiment according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken along II-II in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a section taken along III-III in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a section taken along IV-IV in Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section along a second embodiment according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through a third embodiment according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a schematic view of the main valve of the third embodiment; Figure 8 is a schematic view of an alternative main valve for the third embodiment;

Figure 9 is a schematic view showing a further modification to the third embodiment.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4 there is shown a fuel dispensing nozzle 10 having a body 11 preferably cast from a suitable metal or metal alloy and a tubular extension 14 mounted on the main body 11. The main body 11 and tubular extension include a fluid passageway 12 having a fluid inlet 18 at one end of the nozzle and a fluid outlet 19 at the other end of the nozzle. The end of the body 11 adjacent to d e inlet 18 is adapted for connection to a fluid delivery conduit (not shown), the adaption preferably being in the form of an internally screw threaded coupling connection 15.

A main valve 20 is slidably mounted in the body 11 and is arranged to control flow of fluid along the passageway 12. The valve 20 has a valve spool 21 which co-operates with a valve seat 24 formed in the body 11. The valve spool is generally conical in shape and has a spool face 21a of diameter d_v which is exposed to fluid pressure in fluid chamber 12a which forms part of the fluid passageway 12 and is located upstream of the valve seat 24. Diameter d_v in effect, corresponds to the internal diameter of the valve seat 24.

The outer peripheral margin of spool face 21a sealingly seats on valve seat 24 when the valve 20 is in its closed position as shown in Figure 1. Valve 20 includes a valve stem 26 on which the valve spool 21 is mounted. The stem 26 includes an upstream portion 26a which projects axially upstream from the valve spool 21 and includes a downstream portion 26b which projects axially downstream from the spool 21. The downstream portion 26b is slidably mounted in a support 27 formed in the tubular extension 14.

Resilient biasing means preferably in the form of a coiled spring 28 is mounted between the support 27 and the spool 21 for resiliently biasing the spool 21 toward valve seat 24.

Fluid actuation means 30 are provided for utilising fluid pressure within passageway 12 for controlling the movement of the valve 20.

Fluid actuation means 30 includes a piston 32 mounted on the stem portion 26a, the piston 32 being slidingly located within a piston cylinder 33 formed in the body 11. On the downstream side of the piston 32, the cylinder is in open communication with the chamber 12a of passageway 12. The downstream piston face 32a is therefore always exposed to fluid pressure within passageway 12 and acts to impose an axial force on the spool 21 in a direction for moving the spool 21 into engagement with the seat 24. The piston 32 has a diameter d_p which is preferably greater than diameter d_v so that in the absence of fluid pressure on the upstream side of the piston 32, piston 32 and spring 28 act to close the valve 20. In a typical example, d_v is about 16 mm and d_p is about 27 mm.

The cylinder 33 on the upstream side of the piston 32 has a cylinder chamber 33a which communicates with the passageway 12 via a oneway valve controlled flow path which permits flow of fluid out of the cylinder chamber 33a but only permits flow of fluid into the cylinder chamber 33a when actuated. The flow path is formed by a longitudinally extending bore 41 formed in an internal partition wall of the body 11 and a conduit 40 communicating at one end with the bore 41 and at its other end with the passageway 12. A one-way valve 50 is located in the conduit 40 and preferably comprises a ball 51 biased in to sealing engagement with a seat by a spring 53.

An actuation sleeve 46 is sealingly and slidingly located in the bore 41 and is axially biased to a non-actuation position (as shown in Figure 1) by a spring 47. Valve stem portion 26a extends along bore 41 with clearance so as not to impede the flow-path and is slidingly and sealingly received internally within the sleeve 46.

Sleeve 46 is moved axially in a direction toward valve seat 24 to a valve actuation position (not shown) by a manually actuated lever 55 located externally of the body 11. In Figure 1 the lever 55 is pivotally mounted on the body 11 and arranged to axially displace a push rod assembly 56 which acts upon the sleeve 46. The push rod assembly is biased to a non-actuation position by a spring 57. In use, an operative would hold the region 11a in their hand and press lever 55 using their thumb.

When moved to its valve actuation position by the push rod assembly 56, the sleeve 46 acts upon the ball 51 to move it from its seat and permit open fluid communication between the chamber 33a and the passageway 12. In so doing fluid pressure on opposite sides of the piston is equalised and so the piston 32 no longer applies an axial force opposing the axial force generated by fluid pressure acting on the valve spool face 21a. As a consequence, the valve 20 is moved axially to its opened position and fluid is dispensed through the outlet 19.

Valve 20 is maintained in its open position for as long as the sleeve 46 is located in its actuation position. It will be appreciated that the operative maintains the sleeve in its actuation position by maintaining the lever deflected and that this takes minimal effort since to do so only requires the force of springs 47 and 57 to be overcome; the force applied by the operative does not have to directly act on the valve 20. Instead, fluid pressure within the passageway 12 acts upon the valve 20 to maintain it open.

On returning the sleeve 46 to its rest position as shown in Figure 1 , the one way valve 50 is reactivated to function as a one-way valve and so only permit fluid to flow from the chamber 33a to the passageway 12. Accordingly fluid pressure on both sides of the piston are no longer equalised and so the valve 20 is permitted to move to its closed position by virtue of spring 28 and bleeding effect of the valve 50 which permits fluid to bleed from chamber 33a and back to passageway 12.

The nozzle 10 preferably also incorporates one or both of the following optional features, viz. (i) an automatic shut-off feature which operates to close valve 20 when fluid being dispensed into a container reaches the outlet 19 of the nozzle, and (ii) a vapour recovery feature which enables vapours being expelled from a container being filled to be extracted through the nozzle for recovery.

With respect to feature (i), the push rod assembly 56 preferably comprises a plunger 59 slidably mounted in the body 11 and a link rod 60 pivotally connected at one end to the plunger 59. The opposite end of the link rod is provided with a recessed shoulder 61 in which a roller 62 mounted on the sleeve 46 sits. The link rod 60 is biased in an upward direction by a spring 64 such that an axially extending face of the shoulder 61 is biased upwardly into contact with the roller 62. In this position, the link rod 60 is in axial alignment with the plunger 59 so that axial displacement of the plunger 59 causes the axial facing face of the shoulder to push the sleeve 46 to its actuation position via roller 62.

Link rod 60 is located in a sealed chamber 64 and is located below a vacuum operated diaphragm 68 . A plunger 69 is mounted on the diaphragm 68 such that when air pressure in the chamber 68 is reduced by a predetermined amount, the plunger descends to engage the link rod 60 and displace it against the bias of spring 64 and so move the link rod 60 out of contact with the roller 62. Accordingly sleeve 46 is now able to return to its non actuation position under the bias of spring 47 and so valve 20 closes.

Evacuation of chamber 68 is achieved via the spool item 26. In this respect the stem is provided with an internal bore 70 which at the terminal end of stem portion 26a communicates with the chamber 64. The downstream stem 26b extends a predetermined distance along tubular extension 14 and so is covered when fluid flows back up the extension as in the case when a container is full. Venturi ducts 73 are provided on the valve spool 21 which communicate with the passageway 12 on the downstream side of the seat 24 when valve 20 is closed. The venturi ducts 73 communicate with the bore 70. In use whilst fluid is being dispensed, air is drawn through the venturi ducts 73 from bore 70. Since the bore 70 is open at the terminal end of stem portion 26b, chamber 64 is not evacuated. However as soon as fluid rises in the extension and closes the open end of terminal portion 26b, air is drawn from chamber 64 to reduce pressure therein and cause the plunger to disconnect link rod from the sleeve 46.

Removal of the nozzle from the container being filled enables the extension to drain and so again open the end of stem 26b. Chamber 64 re-pressurises due to air returning via the open end of stem 26b and/or the venturi ducts.

With regard to feature (ii), the body 11 is preferably provided with an additional passageway 80 which extends longitudinally along the body between a vapour inlet 81 and vapour outlet 82.

The vapour inlet is preferably formed by an annular duct 85. An annular seal body 87, preferably formed of a resilient material is preferably mounted on the body 11 and is located to surround the extension and provide an annular gap therebetween which acts as a mouth through which vapour can be recovered. The outside face 88 of the body 87 is preferably inclined to enable the body to enter and seal against the filling opening of a container to be filled. The body 87 is provided with a plurality of conduits 89 providing communication between the mouth and the duct 85 in order to enable vapour to pass along passageway 80. A second embodiment 100 is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein parts similar to those in the first embodiment have been designated by the same reference numerals.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that fluid communication between the cylinder 33 on the upstream side of the piston 32 and the passageway 12 is not permitted and in that a different push rod assembly is adopted.

In embodiment 100, the push rod assembly is directly connected to the valve stem portion 26a such that the valve stem 26 is advanced in the valve open direction against bias of spring 28 by depressing push button 155 which in use is intended to be depressed by the thumb of an operative. The fluid actuation means, viz. piston 32 acts to apply a force to move the spool 21 in its close direction and in combination with the biasing force applied by spring 28 provides sufficient force to closed the valve 20. Fluid pressure acting on spool 21 acts to move it to its open position and so reduces the force which is necessary for the operative to apply in order to move the valve to its open position and maintain it open.

The push rod assembly is in the form of a toggle link assembly 160 which mechanically links the push rod 59 to the valve stem portion 26a and piston 32. The assembly 160 includes two link rods 161 , 162 which are pivotally connected at a central location 163 positioned directly beneath plunger 69. The link rods 161 , 162 are biased about location 163 in order to assume an in-line position as seen in Figure 5. In this position depression of button 155 causes valve stem 26 to be axially moved to open the valve 20.

In the event of chamber 64 becoming evacuated, plunger 69 descends to cause link rods 161 , 162 to be deflected to a non-aligned position and so enables valve spool 21 to return to its closed position under the combined bias of spring 28 and fluid pressure acting upon piston 32.

A third embodiment 200 is schematically illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 wherein parts similar to those in previous embodiments have been designated by the same reference numerals.

In embodiment 200, piston 32 is located within the piston cylinder 33 via a diaphragm 133.

The stem 26 is hollow and a venturi pipe 170 is located within the internal bore of the stem 26 with clearance so as to define an annular fluid passageway 171 extending therealong.

Piston chamber 33a is in fluid communication with fluid passageway 171 via conduits 175 and 176 and valve spool 178; this is shown in greater detail in Figure 7.

Valve spool 178 is formed on a push rod 179 which is biased in one axial direction by a spring 180 so as to reside in a valve close position whereat chamber 33a is in fluid communication with passageway 171. The passageway 171 is in open communication with passageway 12 on the downstream side of the main valve 20 and so provides a drain path for chamber 33a. Thus pressurised fluid in passageway 12 acting upon piston 32 acts to move piston 32 axially to move the main valve spool 21 onto its seat 24. Preferably, the valve spool 21 is slidably mounted on the stem 26 and biased in an axial direction toward seat 24 by a spring 126. Such an arrangement acts to dampen contact of the main valve spool 21 with its seat 24 on closure of the valve 20.

The push rod 179 extends rearwardly of the nozzle body 11 to be engaged by the lever 55. On depressing the lever 55, the push rod 179 is moved axially such that the valve spool 178 resides at a valve open position whereat the chamber 33a is in fluid communication with passageway 12 via conduit 175 and bore 190 through which the push rod 179 extends.

When the push rod 179 has moved the valve spool 178 to its valve open position, the fluid pressure on either side of the piston 32 is equalised and so fluid pressure acting upon the valve spool 21 is able to move the valve spool 21 away from its seat 24 and thereby open the valve 20 to permit fluid to flow along the passageway 12.

Preferably as seen in Figure 6, the nozzle 200 is provided with a vapour recovery means 250. The vapour recovery means 250 includes an annular chamber 251 formed about the nozzle extension 14, the chamber 251 having an annular vapour inlet 252.

The chamber 251 has an outlet port 253 which communicates with an extraction conduit 254. Preferably outlet port 253 is provided with a valve 258 for controlling flow of vapour therethrough. Advantageously, the valve 258 is mounted on an extension of push rod 179 such that when the push rod 179 is moved to open the main valve 20, the valve 258 is also moved to its open position to enable vapour recovery to commence.

Preferably vacuum operating means 190 are provided for causing closure of the main valve 20 when fluid in the tank being filled reaches a level whereby the outlet 19 of the nozzle is covered.

Preferably the vacuum operating means 190 includes a pivotal lever 191 which is pivotally attached to the push rod 179 by a pivot 193. The lever 191 is biased by spring 196 about pivot 193 to reside in an actuating position (as seen in Figure 6).

The lever 191 is provided with a roller 197 which is engaged by operating lever 55. The position of roller 197 relative to pivot 193 is such that displacement of the operating lever 55 in a clockwise direction in Figure 6) causes the push rod 179 to be axially displaced.

The lever 191 is located within a sealed chamber 220 having at one end a diaphragm 221. A push rod 223 is mounted on the diaphragm and is biased by a spring 228 to a non-operative position.

The venturi pipe 170 communicates with chamber 220 and serves to evacuate chamber 220 when the nozzle end 19 is covered by fluid. Evacuation of chamber 220 causes the diaphragm 221 to deflect moving the push rod 223 to an operative position whereat it deflects lever 191 about pivot 193 in a clockwise direction (Figure 6).

Such movement of the lever 191 causes roller 197 to move out of contact with lever 55 and so permits push rod 179 to return to its valve close position.

The third embodiment 200 may be modified as illustrated in Figure 8 such that fluid pressure within passageway 12 is utilised to move the main valve 20 to its closed position.

In this respect, valve spool 178 is replaced by a double valve spool 278. In the valve close position of the push rod 179 the valve spool 278a is arranged to permit chamber 33a to communicate openly with passageway 12. Accordingly, fluid pressure on either side of piston 32 is equalised and fluid pressure on the valve spool 21 moves the valve spool 21 to seat against valve seat 24. In this modification of embodiment 200 the valve seat 24 faces upstream and the valve spool 21 is located on the upstream side of the seat 24.

On moving the push rod 179 to its valve open position, valve spool 278b provides fluid communication between chamber 33a and conduit 176; accordingly chamber 33a is connected to drain and so fluid pressure acting upon one side of piston 32 causes the valve spool 21 to be moved away from its seat 24 and thereby permit flow of fluid through the valve 20. A further modification to the third embodiment 200 is illustrated in Figure 9. This modification may be incorporated in the embodiment as shown in Figure 6 or in its modified version in accordance with Figure 8.

In Figure 9, the nozzle 200 is provided with an additional piston 300 which is housed in piston cylinder 301. The piston 300 operates a cranked push rod 305 which engages with the lever 191. The push rod 305 is biased by a spring 310 to a non-actuating position (as seen in Figure 9) whereat the lever 191 has been moved about pivot 193 such that roller 197 cannot be contacted by lever 55.

Piston cylinder 301 communicates with fluid passageway 12 and so in the absence of sufficient fluid pressure in the passageway 12 push rod 305 resides at its non-actuating position and accordingly, in this condition, the main valve 20 cannot be moved to its open position by operating of lever 55.

In the event that fluid pressure in passageway 12 is sufficient to overcome the bias of spring 310, push rod 305 moves axially to an actuating position whereat it moves lever 191 about pivot 193 such that lever 55 can contact roller 197. In this condition, lever 55 functions to control opening of the main valve 20.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing nozzle having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet through which fluid is dispensed, a fluid passageway within the nozzle along which fluid flows between the inlet and outlet, a main valve located within the passageway for controlling flow of fluid between said inlet and outlet, the main valve being movable between a valve open position and a valve closed position, a valve actuating piston mechanically coupled with the main valve, the valve actuating piston communicating with fluid in said passageway to cause the main valve to move to its open or closed position and manually operable valve control means for controlling flow of fluid to said actuating piston for controlling opening and closing of said main valve.

2. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to Claim 1 wherein the piston and main valve are mounted on a common stem and are axially spaced from one another.

3. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to Claim 2 wherein the piston is housed in a piston cylinder so as to define a first piston chamber on one side of the piston and a second piston chamber on the opposite side of the piston, the first piston chamber being in open communication with said passageway such as to apply a fluid force on said piston for causing movement of said main valve in one axial direction.

4. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to Claim 3 wherein said second chamber is in fluid communication with fluid in said passageway via said valve control means and said main valve is arranged to move to its open position when moved in said axial direction.

5. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to Claim 3 wherein said second chamber communicates with a drain via said valve control means and said main valve is arranged to move to its closed position when moved in said axial direction.

6. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to any preceding claim including venturi means communicating with fluid flowing through the nozzle and vacuum operating means operatively connected to said valve control means to cause the main valve to move to its closed position on creation of a vacuum by said venturi means.

7. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to any preceding claim including vapour recovery means.

8. A fluid dispensing nozzle according to any preceding claim wherein the area of the actuating piston facing said main valve and being acted upon by the fluid in said passageway is greater than the area of the main valve facing the actuating piston and being acted upon by the fluid in said passageway.