Vaporless Manufacturing, Inc.

Penrod C Geisinger

Gregory E Young

Mark Christian Johnson

Scott D Klopfenstein

Jason L Addink

An in-line motor and pump assembly is supported at the bottom of a fuel storage tank by a pipe and an internal concentric conduit for housing electrical conductors extending therewithin to the motor. An impeller, coaxial with the rotor of the motor, draws the fuel into an annular passageway surrounding the stator of the motor. Further passageways convey the fuel to an annular passageway defined between the pipe and the conduit for discharge external of the storage tank. A low pressure environment attendant the inflow of the fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a lower journal bearing and thrust bearing supporting a common shaft for the impeller and the motor. A high pressure environment attendant outflow of fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a journal bearing supporting the upper end of the shaft.

Submerged DC brushless motor and pump

Submerged motor and pump assembly

A safety valve limits but does not curtail flow of fluid from a source through the body of the safety valve upon release of a handle. A pivotable vane disposed within the body is urged to pivot from a first state not restricting fluid flow to a second state restricting fluid flow in response to the force of the fluid flow. A shaft supporting the vane is connected to the handle. Retaining the handle in a position commensurate with the first state of the vane will permit fluid flow through the safety valve, which fluid flow will become limited upon release of the handle due to a change in state of the vane.

Safety valve

A leak detector includes an off-center mounted metering pin cooperating with a single cross-hole in a poppet valve to accommodate adjustment of the flow rate past the metering pin by rotating the poppet valve about its longitudinal axis. A flow director, cooperating with the poppet valve, directs all flow into the leak detector directly into the line during initial flow into the leak detector. A piston, responsive to line pressure, is sized smaller in diameter than the poppet valve to cause the line pressure to increase rapidly and significantly during the leak sense mode and which size permits reduction in size and weight of the leak detector.

Leak detector

A crash valve is located in a liquid tight dispenser pan at a gasoline service station to close a conduit conveying gasoline to a gasoline dispensing unit to prevent uncontrolled flow of gasoline in the event a vehicle crashes into the dispensing unit. The dispenser pan collects any leaking gasoline or inflow of water; the presence of gasoline is an obvious safety hazard and the accumulating water may cause electrical or mechanical malfunction of the crash valve. An actuator, responsive to the presence of either water or gasoline in the dispenser pan, includes a weighted ball secured to a trip arm of the crash valve by a lanyard. The actuator will respond to the presence of gasoline or water by dislodging the ball and cause the ball to drop. The weight of the falling ball, translated through the lanyard, will cause the trip arm to close the crash valve and prevent further flow of gasoline therethrough and preclude the dispensing unit from pumping gasoline until the trip arm is reset.

Crash valve actuator

A saw blade includes a very shallow cone shaped side for supporting an abrasive surface to sand smooth a cut surface of a work piece while the surface is being cut by the saw blade. To maintain the finished sanded surface of the cut perpendicular to a specified axis of the work piece, the axis of rotation of the saw blade is tilted to place a radial of the cone shaped abrasive surface orthogonal in three axis to the direction of saw cut being made.

Saw blade with sanding surface

A tester, temporarily connectable to a tap in the input line for a gasoline dispenser, tests the integrity of the delivery line from a submerged pump within a gasoline storage tank to the tap, including a leak detector, whether piston or diaphragm operated, normally mounted at the storage tank downstream of the submerged pump. An in line isolator can be installed between the submerged pump output line and the leak detector and connected to the tester to make a field test of the integrity and operability of the leak detector.

Method for testing a leak detector

A tester, temporarily connectable to a tap in the input line for a gasoline dispenser, tests the integrity of the delivery line from a submerged pump within a gasoline storage tank to the tap, including a leak detector, whether piston or diaphragm operated, normally mounted at the storage tank downstream of the submerged pump. An in line isolator is installed between the submerged pump output line and the leak detector to make a field test of the integrity and operability of the leak detector.

Isolator for leak detector tester

A check valve for a leak detector used in conjuction with a gasoline dispenser maintains the delivery line under pressure to accelerate translation of the leak detector from the relaxed position through the leak position and to the non leak position unless there is a line leak resulting in flow above a predetermined flow rate. Upon cessation of fuel delivery at the outlet nozzle, the check valve isolates the leak detector from damage due to hydraulic hammer. In the event of leak in the delivery line, the bleed off of pressure locked in by the check valve will permit the leak detector to sense the low pressure when in the leak position and signal the station operator by restricting the flow rate.

Check valve for a leak detector

A wand having a length of flexible hose extending therefrom is inserted within an underground fluid filled storage tank. Through actuation of a propulsion system, the wand is directed to a suspected vapor pocket within the tank and temporarily retained in place by floatation. An evacuating pump draws in the vapor through inlets at the extremity of the wand and through the trailing hose to reduce or eliminate the vapor pocket within the tank. Upon elimination of the vapor pocket to a practical extent, the hose and attached wand are withdrawn from the tank.

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Dewey, AZ, United States of America

Penrod C Geisinger