US3035615A - Dispensing nozzle - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1962 J. J. PACEY DISPENSING NOZZLE :5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March 11, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN J. PACEY BY my 5 ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 J. .1. PACEY DISPENSING NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1958 m MY EE C N I A P N H O U ATTORNEYS y 2, 1 J. J. PACEY 3,035,615

DISPENSING NOZZLE Filed March 11, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR J. PACEY ATTORNEYS United States The present invention relates to liquid dispensing nozzles and more particularly to nozzles which may be advantageously used in the retail delivery of gasoline. The present application is a continuation in part of my previous application Serial No. 698,171, filed November 22, 1957, and now abandoned.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved nozzle which may aptly be described as an automatic nozzle. That is, the improved nozzle of the present invention may be inserted into the till pipe of an automobile gasoline tank, its operating lever actuated to initiate delivery of gasoline and then released as automatic means continue the delivery of gasoline. The filling station attendant is then able to perform other services such as checking oil and water and cleaning windows. Further the attendant is free to perform such duties without worry of the gasoline overflowing since means are provided for automatically shutting or? how of gasoline when the level of gasoline in the fill pipe reaches a fixed point with respect to the outlet portion of the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for shutting oil flow of gasoline other than in response to the automatic means. The improved means herein disclosed are not only readily exposed for manual operation but also give assurance that the nozzle will be automatically shut cit if it should fall from the fill pipe of a :gas tank While gasoline is being delivered.

While reference will be made throughout the following specification to use of the present improved nozzle in delivering gasoline, it is to be understood that this nozzle has general utility in dispensing all other types of similarly fluent liquids.

Other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawings and the particular novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a nozzle embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale of valve means seen in FIG. 1 but in a difierent position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the valve means returning to the FIG. 1 position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, on said enlarged scale, looking in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line VV in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line VIVI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in longitudinal section of a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line IX-IX in FIG. 7.

The nozzle seen in FIG. I greatly resembles conven tional gasoline nozzles now in use from the standpoint of exterior appearance. In fact one of the features of the atent "free present invention is the ease with which existing nozzle constructions may be modified in order to obtain the other benefits of the invention, as will be more fully apparent from the following description of the constructional details thereof.

The nozzle comprises a body portion iii having a clamp nut .12 at one end thereof to facilitate attachment of the nozzle to a flexible hose of the type conventionally provided with gasoline dispensing pumps. The body portion 1%) is hollow to provide an internal passageway for the flow of gasoline therethrough as controlled by a spring urged flow valve 14 and a check valve 16, both of which are of known construction. Beyond the check valve 16, a spout 1% is threaded into the other end of the body 10 with a clamp nut 29 being provided to secure the spout in desired relation to the body portion 19.

The valve 14 is normally closed to prevent flow of gasoline through the nozzle. A rocker 22 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is pivotally mounted about a pin 24 interiorly of the body passageway and in contacting relation with an extension 26 of the valve 14. A pin 23 is slidably mounted in the body 10 and is engageable with the opposite side of the rocker 22. The pin 28 extends outwardly of the body portion 10 above an operating lever 36 which is pivotally mounted about a fixed point at 32 and is embraced by a guard 34 in conventional fashion. It will be apparent that when the lever 30 (see FIG. 1) is raised the rocker 22 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby unseating and opening the valve 14 to initiate delivery of gasoline from the nozzle.

In accordance with one of the features of the invention ratchet teeth 36 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are formed on the upper surface of the rocker 22. A latching lever member 38 is pivotally mounted about a screw 40 which extends fiom an internal lug 42. One free end of the latch 38 is slotted to receive a cross pin 44 which extends between bifurcated portions of a pin 46 (see also FIG. 6). Pin 46' is slidably mounted in the body portion 10 after the fashion best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6. A spring 48 is seated against the upper end of a chamber 49 which is compositely formed by a cap 51 and the body portion 1% to which the cap is secured. The spring 48 at all times urges the pin 46 downwardly and causes the latch 38 to bear against the upper surface of rocker 22. Thus when rocker 22 is rotated, by lifting the operating lever 30, the latch 38 will be brought into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth 36 and automatically maintain the valve 14 open. The lever 30 may then be released and the attendant by fixing the nozzle spout 18 in 21 till pipe is free to carry out any other services he desires during dispensing. It will be noted that the plurality of teeth 36 provided on rocker 22 enable the operator to determine the rate at which gasoline will automatically be delivered, since the valve 14 may be selectively maintained in an open position sufiicient to give the desired rate of flow, all as determined by which of the teeth 36 are engaged by latch 38.

It will be seen that the internal passageway of body 10 is provided with a venturi throat at 50 (FIG. 2). Extending from this venturi throat is a passageway 52 which leads through the body portion 10 and cap 51 to the top of chamber 49. It will also be seen that the upper portion of chamber 49 is sealed oil by a diaphragm 54 which is captured between the spring 48 and pin 46 with its outer peripheral portions confined against the body by cap 51. From the chamber 49 a further passageway 56 (FIGS. 4 and 6) leads through the cap 51 and body portion 10 to a longitudinally extending passageway 58 which in turn communicates with a tube 60. It will be seen (FIGS. 45) that appropriate plugs are provided to insure an air-tight connection between the champer 49 and the tube 60. The tube 60 extends downwardly along the spout 18 and by way of the illustrated fittings terminates in an opening 62 exteriorly of and at the lower end of the spout 18. The venturi throat 50 is thus in communication with atmosphere at a point adjacent the outlet of the nozzle (i.e. nozzle spout) by way of the suction passageway which is compositely formed of the passageways 52, 56, 58 and tube 60.

When the valve 14 is opened and gasoline flows past the venturi throat 50 a vacuum will be created in the said suction passageway and so long as the opening 62 is open to atmosphere, air will merely be drawn into the stream of gasoline. However, when the level of gasoline in an automobile fill pipe reaches the level of the opening 62 the suction passageway will be sealed off from atmosphere and a vacuum created in this suction passageway as well as in the chamber 49. At this point it will be noted that openings 64 are provided in the body portion 10 so that the undersurface of the diaphragm 54 is subjected to pressure of the fluid flowing through the nozzle. Then when a vacuum is created in the chamber 49, the pressure of the gasoline on the lower surface of the diaphragm 54 will overcome the force of spring 48 due to the reduced pressure on the upper surface of the diaphragm. The latch 38 will thus be raised out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 36. When the latch is so raised the spring urged valve 14 will automatically close, moving the rocker 22 in a counterclockwise position and displacing pin 28 outwardly of the body portion 10 in readiness for a subsequent dispensing operation of the nozzle. It will, of course, be appreciated that at this time hand lever 38 has been released.

The operation of the present nozzle is itself extremely simple. It is merely necessary for the filling station attendant to insert the nozzle in the fill tank of the automobile, raise and then release the lever 30. Gasoline is automatically delivered as latch 38 cooperating with the teeth 36 maintains valve 14 open (FIG. 2). When the tank is full as evidenced by gasoline covering the opening 62 and thus sealing off the suction passage and chamber 49 from atmosphere, the above described action of the diaphragm under a vacuum condition in the chamber automatically releases latch 38'. Valve 14 will close and shut off further flow of gasoline before spilling over the edge of a fill pipe.

For obvious reasons an operator may desire to stop flow of gasoline at any time. In order to maintain control of dispensing the automatic delivery of the present nozzle is under the manual control of an operator. A headed plunger 66 is slidably mounted in body portion 10 above the other free end of latch member 38. A simple depression of plunger 66 (as in FIG. 3) will raise latch 38 out of engagement with rocker teeth 36. Thus the operator may control delivery of any specified amount of gasoline.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the invention comprising other novel features. This alternate arrangement includes many elements which are equivalent if not identical with elements previously described and such elements shall be identified by like reference characters without any detailed description necessarily being given thereof, where substantial changes have been made in a given equivalent element, primed reference characters are used.

As will be seen the body 10' is, for manufacturing convenience, of a two-part construction and considerably shorter in length by reason the more compact means for locking the rocker 22 in a position to maintain the valve 14 in an open position. These locking means include a plunger slidably mounted in the body portion 10' and threaded onto an upper extension 102 which extends through the chamber 49 and beyond the outer surface of cap 51'.

Spring 48 bears against a washer 104 which in turn clamps the central portion of diaphragm 54 against a second washer 106 by reason of the force applied in threading the plunger 100 onto the extension 102. It will be seen that the plunger 100 is thus yieldingly maintained in engagement with the upper surface of rocker 22, with the conical relief in the outer end of the plunger 100 providing clearance for the ratchet teeth 36.

With this arrangement the nozzle is actuated in the same fashion as previously described. That is, the lever 30 may be raised to cause the rocker 22 to pivot about pin 24 and open valve 14. The rocker 22 will be automatically latched by plunger 100 to hold the valve open, permitting the operating lever 30 to be released as before.

A suction passageway is again provided between the venturi 50 at valve 14 and the discharge end of the spout 18. The only substantial change in this passageway being the interconnection between the upper end of tube 60 and chamber 49. As shown in FIG. 7 the spout 18 is brazed to a flange 108 secured to the front end of the nozzle body 10'. The tube 60 communicates, with a passageway 110 in the flange 108 which in turn is connected to passageways 112, 114 through the diaphgram 54 into the upper portion of chamber 49.

The plunger 100, as was also true regarding latch 38 (FIGS. 1-3), will be maintained in engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 so long as the lower end of tube 60' is vented to atmosphere. When the lower end of tube 60' is sealed off as by gasoline rising in the fill pipe of an automobile, a vacuum will be created in the chamber 49 and the pressure of the gasoline (by way of hole 64) on the lower side of diaphragm 54 is then suflicient to raise plunger 100 out of engagement with teeth 36 thus permitting the valve 14 to automatically close.

A further feature of the invention is found in a second means for disengaging the plunger 100 from the teeth 36. A dome or cap 116 having 21 depending skirt 117 is rockingly mounted on a reduced outer diameter of the plunger extension 102 by way of a rubber combination bushing and seal 118. The dome 116 is held onto the plunger extension by a stop 120 pinned to said reduced diameter and provided with a spherical end engaging the dome 116 or combination bushing and seal 118. The dome itself rests on a raised surface or land 122 formed on the cap 51 and overhangs for considerable distance therebeyond throughout its peripheral extent. Since the dome 116 and skirt 117 are non-circular in outline, ribs 123 are provided on the undersurface of the dome and received by grooves 125 formed in the raised surface 122 (see also FIG. 9).

It will be apparent that the dome 116 may be manually rocked by pressing on any outer portion thereof preferably at some marginal edge portion. .In so rocking the dome 116, the plunger 100 will be raised as the dome pivots about an edge of the raised surface 122. The plunger 100 will be brought out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 permitting the valve 14 to close when desired.

The dome 116 serves another function in providing safety means for automatically shutting off the valve 14 in the event that the nozzle should fall to the ground when the valve 14 is automatically held open by the plunger 100 engaging the ratchet teeth 36 of rocker 22. The dome 116 is disposed (see also FIGS. 8 and 9) so that in any normal position which the nozzle might assume on a substantially flat surface, the weight of the nozzle will be sufi'icient either alone or combined with an impact effect to rock the dome 116 as it engages the surface, the rocking movement of the dome again causing the valve 14 to close automatically and prevent spillage of gasoline.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a body portion having a passageway therethrough, a nozzle spout communicating with said body passageway and providing a discharge outlet for the liquid, a valve seated in said body passageway with spring means normally maintaining the valve in a closed position, a rocker pivotally mounted within said body and movable to open said valve, a rod slidably mounted in said body and engageable with said rocker to so move said valve, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said body engaging said rod and movable to effect opening of said valve, said rocker having a plurality of ratchet teeth formed on its upper surface, a pivotally mounted latch having one end disposed above said rocker, spring means urging said latch end into engagement with said teeth and comprising a coil spring disposed in a chamber above said latch, whereby the valve will be maintained in an open position by engagement of the latch with one of said teeth when the valve has been opened by movement of said hand lever, said latch having a second free end on the opposite side of its pivotal mounting, a push button plunger mounted in said body above said second free end and accessible for manual depression to raise the latch from said rocker and permit the valve to be closed whenever desired, a diaphragm sealing oh the lower end of said spring containing chamber with said spring bearing against the upper surface of the diaphragm and with the lower surface of said diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the liquid in said body passageway, said body passageway having a venturi throat, a suction passageway extending from said venturi throat and communicating with said chamber and opening on the exterior of the nozzle spout at a point adjacent the lower end of said spout whereby when said suction passageway is closed off the suction created in said chamber by liquid flow past said venturi throat will reduce the pressure on the upper surface of said diaphragm and the liquid pressure on the lower surface of said diaphragm will overcome the force of said spring to raise the latch away from said rocker, thus permitting said valve to automatically seat and shut off further flow of liquid.

2. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a body portion having a passageway therethrough, a nozzle spout communicating with said body passageway and providing a discharge outlet for the liquid, a valve seated in said body passageway with spring means normally maintaining the valve in a closed position, a rocker pivotally mounted within said body and movable to open said valve, 2. rod slidably mounted in said body and engageable with said rocker to so move said valve, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said body engaging said rod and movable to efiect opening of said valve, said rocker having at least one ratchet tooth formed on its upper surface, a pivotally mounted latch having one end disposed above said rocker, spring means urging said latch end into engagement with the toothed upper surface of said rocker and comprising a coil spring disposed in a chamber above said latch, whereby the valve will be maintained in an open position by engagement of the latch with said tooth once the valve has been opened by movement of said hand lever, a diaphragm sealing oif the lower end of said chamber with said spring bearing against the upper surface of the diaphragm and with the lower surface of said diaphragm being exposed to the pressure of the liquid in said body passageway and the upper surface of the diaphragm being under urging of said spring, said body passageway having a venturi throat, a suction passageway extending from said venturi throat and communicating with said chamber and opening on the exterior of the nozzle spout at a point adjacent the lower end of said spout whereby when said suction passageway is closed off the suction created in said chamber by liquid flow past said venturi throat will reduce the pressure on the upper surface of said diaphragm and the liqiud pressure on the lower surface of said diaphragm will overcome the force of said spring and raise the latch away from said rocker, thus permitting said valve to seat and shut ofi further flow of liquid.

3. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve for controlling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotally mounted within and on said body and engageable with the valve to open said valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to cause said rocker to open said valve, said rocker having teeth formed outwardly of said pivotal mounting, a plunger slidably mounted in said body and yieldingly urged into engagement with said teeth whereby the rocker will be automatically maintained in a position holding said valve open, said plunger extending upwardly through the top of the nozzle body, a lever mounted on the outer end of said plunger for rocking movement relative thereto, said lever resting on and overhanging a surface on the top of said body nozzle and means on the outermost end of said plunger preventing unlimited movement of the lever relative to the plunger whereby an outer portion of the lever may be moved towards or away from the nozzle body to raise the plunger out of engagement with said rocker teeth and thereby permit said valve to close.

4. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve for controlling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotally mounted within and on said body and engageable with the valve to open said valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to cause said rocker to open said valve, said rocker having teeth formed outwardly of said pivotal mounting,

a plunger slidably mounted on said body and yieldingly urged into engagement with said teeth whereby the rocker will be automatically maintained in a position holding said valve open, said plunger extending upwardly to the top of the nozzle, a dome-shaped cap mounted on the outer end of said plunger for rock-ing movement relative thereto, said cap bearing against a surface on the top of said nozzle and extending substantially therebeyond throughout its peripheral extent and a stop aifixed to the outermost end of said plunger and yieldably maintaining by way of said yieldably urged plunger the cap against said surface whereby pressure at any marginal edge portion of the cap in a direction towards or away from said body will rock said cap and cause said plunger to be lifted out of engagement with said rocker teeth thereby permitting said valve to close.

5. A liquid dispensing nozzle as in claim 4 wherein the plunger is formed with a reduced diameter passing through the cap and a rubber bushing is provided between said reduced diameter and said cap, and further wherein the stop is formed with a spherical end facing said cap.

6. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve for controlling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotally mounted within and on said body and movable against the valve to open said valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to move said rocker to open said valve, means for automatically locking said rocker in a position maintaining said valve open, whereby said manually operating means may be released and means mounted on top of said nozzle and connected to said locking means, the means mounted on said nozzle being disposed to release said locking means in response to a torque exerted by the weight of the nozzle in seeking a position of stable equilibrium on a substantially flat surface.

7. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve for controlling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotally mounted within and on said body and movable against said valve to open said valve, and manually operable means engageable with said rocker and movable to cause said rocker to open said valve, means for locking said rocker in a position to hold said valve open whereby the manually operable means may be released, a spring urging said locking means into engagement with said rocker, and means engaged with said locking means and responsive to difierential fluid pressure caused by the discharge end of the nozzle becoming immersed in liquid for directly moving said locking means against said spring out of locking engagement with said rocker whereby said valve will be closed shutting oil the flow of liquid through said nozzle. 10

8. A nozzle as in claim 7 wherein the rocker includes a .t p 8 a plurality of teeth, any one of which is engageable by said locking-means for holding saidvalve in any one of a plurality of open positions which determine the rate of flow through said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,354,209 Hammand July 25, 1944 2,787,294 Carriol Apr. 2, 1957 2,811,180 Zaugg et a1 Oct. 29, 1957

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