Acf Industries, Incorporated

Joel A Mingus

Gunter R Behle

In accordance with the present invention, an operating rod attached to a bottom outlet valve passes through a nozzle assembly connected to the tank top. The nozzle assembly includes a hollow cylindrical housing for the operating rod and means to seal the operating rod relative to the tank. The nozzle assembly further includes a sleeve made of a material having a coefficient of friction with metal, particularly steel. The material has sufficient shear strength to withstand loads applied by rotation of the operating rod to the nozzle assembly, and sufficient strength in compression to react bending moments applied to the nozzle assembly resulting from misalignment of the lading valve relative to the nozzle assembly. Preferably also the material is self lubricating to avoid potential failure of the material in the event the assembly is not regularly lubricated.

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St. Charles, MO, United States of America

Joel A Mingus