United States Patent Office
3,502,121
Patented Mar. 24, 1970
3,502,121
SAFETY MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC NOZZLE
Glenn E. Moore, Fairfield, and Chester Wood, Cincinnati,
Ohio, assignors to Dover Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio,
a corporation of Delaware 5
Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 594,110
Int. CI. B65b 1/30, 57/14, 3/28
U.S. CI. 141—207 10 Claims
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The safety means includes a member extending in spaced relation along the inner side of said arcuate dispensing nozzle from the free end thereof, where it is fixedly attached to the other end, where it is operatively *5 connected to the triggering cam means which is associated with the automatic shut-off means. The intake neck of the tank bends or forces the member into contact with the inner side of the nozzle and operates the triggering cam to permit normal operation of the shut-off means. The 20 triggering cam is pivotally mounted on the end of the plunger of the shut-off means and is bodily movable therewith.
This invention pertains to fluid dispensing head means and more particularly to a safety device, for such fluid dispensing head means.
Fluid dispensing head means such as dispensing nozzles for liquids, such as gasoline, or the like, in present use 30 are generally operated by experienced personnel. Particularly in the dispensing of gasoline in automobiles, any inadvertent flow of gasoline prior to insertion of a nozzle within an automobile fuel tank could create a serious fire hazard as well as damage articles upon which the inad- 35 vertently dispensed gasoline might fall. In self-service type gasoline stations where the automobile operator is encouraged to operate the gasoline nozzle it is especially important that a nozzle be provided with adequate safety means to assure that gasoline is not dispensed inadvert- 40 ently.
Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved fluid dispensing head or nozzle means having safety means incorporated as an integral part thereof to prevent inadvertent dispensing of fluid therethrough. 45
Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved fluid dispensing nozzle of simple and economical construction having safety means assuring that fluid will be dispensed through such nozzle only while such nozzle is placed in dispensing relation within fluid receiving con- 50 tainer means.
Another feature of this invention is to provide improved safety means adapted to be used with automatic shut-off means provided in a fluid dispensing nozzle.
Another feature of this invention is to provide mechani- 55 cal linkage means adapted to be fastened to a fluid nozzle at one of its ends and operatively connected to automatic shut-off means provided within such nozzle at its other end to provide a mechanical safety device preventing operation of such fluid nozzle at all times except when 60 such nozzle is inserted within an associated tank in a fluid dispensing position.
Another feature of this invention is to provide mechanical safety means arranged to operate within a fluid nozzle such as a gasoline nozzle and comprising mechanical cam 65 means operatively connected to actuate automatic highlevel shut-off means normally provided within such nozzle.
Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved safety means for a gasoline nozzle which can be easily incorporated in standard existing nozzles efficiently 70 and with minimum modification of such existing nozzles.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide
2
an improved safety means having one or more of the novel features of this invention as 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 sectional view illustrating a dispensing nozzle of the type used to dispense gasoline and illustrating a portion of one exemplary embodiment of the safety means of this invention.
FIGURE 2 is a view illustrating the gasoline nozzle of FIGURE 1 inserted within container means such as the filler pipe of an automobile gasoline tank.
FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the terminal end portion of the nozzle of FIGURE 1 with parts in section and parts broken away particularly illustrating mechanical safety means provided therefor prior to insertion within a gasoline tank.
FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 3 with parts in section and parts borken away illustrating the exemplary gasoline nozzle of FIGURE 1 inserted in dispensing position within such gasoline tank.
FIGURE 5 is a view with parts in section and parts broken away illustrating another exemplary embodiment of this invention.
FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the upper end portion of a rigid member which comprises the safety device provided on the nozzle of FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 7 illustrates a lower guard used with the nozzle of FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 8 is a view on the line 8—8 of FIGURE 7.
While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustrated and described as being particularly adaptable for providing mechanical safety means for a gasoline dispensing 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 mechanical safety means for other uses 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.
In the exemplary embodiment of this invention shown in FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, an improved fluid dispensing head means such as a gasoline dispensing nozzle 20 is illustrated. Dispensing nozzle 20 is comprised of a main body 21 having normally closed valve means indicated generally by the numeral 22 supported within body 21.
Valve means 22 comprises a poppet valve 23 which is normally urged closed by a spring 24 against a cooperating seat 25 provided in housing 21. Poppet valve 23 has a stem 26 fixed to the lower end thereof. The lower end of stem 26 is normally engaged by a suitably pivoted lever 27 to override spring 24 and thus open valve assembly 22.
A passage 30 is provided in housing 21 and such housing has means such as threads or the like at the entrance to passage 30 for connection of nozzle 20 to a flexible hose, or the like, which in turn is connected to a source of gasoline through a gasoline metering pump. A discharge conduit 32 is also suitably connected to the discharge end of nozzle 20. Upon actuating lever 27, with nozzle 20 inserted in a gasoline tank so that the safety means of this invention to be later described is overridden, stem 26 and hence poppet 23 is raised upwardly allowing gasoline to flow through passage 30 and out of nozzle 20 through its discharge conduit 32.
Presently used gasoline nozzles generally include automatic shut-off means enabling leaving the nozzle unattended. Therefore it is necessary to provide automatic shut-off
