Dover Corporation

Robert W Guertin

Chester W Wood

Donald L Leininger

Bruce P Baker

Jack A McMath

A vapor recovery nozzle, employed in minimizing atmospheric pollution by fuel vapors is described. The nozzle comprises a bellows which is compressed against the fill pipe of a vehicle fuel tank during discharge of fuel therein. The bellows surrounds a nozzle spout to define a vapor return flow path which extends through a nozzle body. The body of the nozzle is compositely formed by a body member and a vapor path cap which compositely define the vapor return flow passage. Flow of fuel is controlled by a control valve which may be opened, or maintained opened, by an operating lever only when a trip mechanism stem is latched in an operative position. A mechanical interlock prevents latching of the trip mechanism stem unless the bellows is compressed in sealing engagement with a fill pipe. When the bellows is so compressed, the trip stem is latched. If the level of fuel in the fill pipe covers the end of the spout, vacuum actuated means unlatch the trip mechanism stem. If the pressure in the vapor return flow path rises to a level indicating a blockage in return flow, the trip stem is also unlatched. A vapor valve is provided in the bellows to prevent the escape of fuel vapors when the nozzle is in a rest position. Angular relationships of the bellows and the spout facilitate obtaining a seal with a fill pipe. A groove is formed in the spout outwardly of and adjacent the vapor seal so that the vapor seal maintains its integrity in the event the spout is broken when inserted in a fill pipe. A trip mechanism sub-assembly, a spout sub-assembly and a bellows sub-assembly facilitate rebuilding, as well as the original assembly, of the nozzle.

Vapor recovery nozzles and sub-assemblies therefor

A vapor recovery nozzle employed in minimizing atmospheric pollution by fuel vapors is described. The nozzle comprises a bellows which is compressed against the fill pipe of a vehicle during discharge of fuel therein. The bellows surrounds a nozzle spout to define a vapor return flow path which extends through a nozzle body. The body of the nozzle is compositely formed by a body member and a vapor path cap which compositely define the vapor return flow passage. Flow of fuel is controlled by a valve which may be opened by an operating lever only when a trip stem is latched in an operative position. A mechanical interlock prevents latching of the trip stem unless the bellows is compressed. When the bellows is so compressed, the trip stem is latched. If the level of fuel in the fill pipe covers the end of the spout, vacuum actuated means unlatch the trip mechanism stem. If the pressure in the vapor return flow path rises to a level indicating a blockage in return flow, time trip stem is also unlatched. A vapor valve is provided in the bellows to prevent the escape of fuel vapors when the nozzle is in a rest position. Angular relationships of the bellows and the spout facilitate obtaining a seal with a fill pipe. A groove is formed in the spout outwardly of and adjacent the vapor seal so that the vapor seal maintains its integrity in the event the spout is broken when inserted in a fill pipe.

A fluid dispensing nozzle construction, bellows-like tube therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the construction comprising a valve body having a dispensing spout extending therefrom, and a flexible bellows-like tube of polymeric material telescopically disposed on the spout and having opposed ends one of which is secured to the valve body and the other of which carries a face seal for engaging an annular lip of fill pipe of a fluid storage tank to seal around an opening in the fill pipe when the spout is inserted therein, the spout having an abutment for interlocking with an abutment of the fill pipe that is adjacent the opening thereof when the spout has been inserted into the opening a certain amount. The bellows-like tube has an annular convolution adjacent the face seal that has a larger cross-sectional thickness on one side thereof than the cross-sectional thickness on the other side thereof so that the convolution will tend to collapse at the other side thereof to maintain the seal on the lip around the opening when the spout has the abutment thereof interlocking with the abutment of the fill pipe.

Fluid dispensing nozzle construction, bellows-like tube therefor and

Flow through a vapor recovery nozzle is stopped when the liquid in a tank being filled reaches a predetermined level to cause a first diaphragm, which forms a wall of a first chamber, to move a latch release mechanism against the force of a single spring. Flow through the nozzle also is stopped when pressure in the tank being filled exceeds a predetermined pressure through movement of a second diaphragm, which is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first diaphragm and forms a wall of a second chamber connected by two separate passages to a vapor return passage communicating the tank with vapor recovery equipment, to cause movement of the latch release mechanism in the same direction and against the force of the same spring. The first diaphragm is prevented from moving in response to the pressure in the tank increasing. The exterior of each of the first and second diaphragms is exposed to ambient pressure.

Vapor recovery system having automatic shut-off mechanism

Liquid flow through an automatic shut-off nozzle is automatically stopped when the presence of liquid at a predetermined location in the vapor return means is sensed by an independent sensor arrangement. The automatic shut-off nozzle also stops flow in response to the tank being filled to a predetermined level with liquid or the pressure in the tank exceeding a predetermined pressure.

Automatic shut-off nozzle having an independent sensor arrangement for

A liquid dispensing nozzle has an annular member of a relatively soft material at one end of a bellows, which is disposed in spaced relation to the spout of the nozzle to form an annular vapor return passage therebetween, to engage the fill pipe to form a seal therewith when the spout is disposed therein so that the vapors flow from the tank to the annular vapor return pasage of the nozzle. The soft seal member is removably fastened to the end of the bellows for easy replacement. The spout has a pair of latch rings thereon spaced from each other with each having a retaining lug to enable the spout to be retained within any type of fill pipe since one of the lugs on one of the latch rings is always capable of being retained by the lip of the fill pipe opening.

Liquid dispensing nozzle having a sealing arrangement for vapor recovery

An automatic shut-off nozzle has a venturi effect, which causes automatic shut off of the liquid flow through the nozzle body by causing a main poppet valve to be closed when the tank is filled, created by two aligned passages of different diameters in either the resiliently biased bleeder poppet valve, which opens in response to the pressure of the fluid flowing through the nozzle body, or the seat ring for the bleeder poppet valve. The smaller diameter passage has the liquid enter its inlet with the liquid exiting through the outlet of the larger diameter passage with the larger diameter passage also communicating with the vacuum chamber in which the vacuum is increased by the venturi when the tank is filled to cause automatic closing of the main poppet valve in the nozzle body.

Automatic shut-off nozzle having controlled venturi

Liquid flow through an automatic shut-off nozzle is automatically stopped when liquid is present at a predetermined location in the vapor return means. The automatic shut-off nozzle also stops flow in response to the tank being filled to a predetermined level with liquid or the pressure in the tank exceeding a predetermined pressure.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Robert W Guertin