Safety mechanism for automatic nozzles

Claim 2

A safety mechanism in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle for preventing operation of the nozzle except when the nozzle is positioned in the neck of a tank to be filled, said safety mechanism comprising: a nozzle housing; a spout connected with the nozzle housing; a flow valve in the nozzle housing for permitting and preventing flow therethrough; a valve lever movable on said housing for opening and closing said valve; releasable locking means in the nozzle housing associated with said flow valve to prevent opening of said valve when unlocked, said locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit said valve to close irrespective of the position of said valve lever; control means located on said spout for generating a predetermined fluid pressure when said control means is in engagement with the neck of the tank to be filled; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with said nozzle housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means for receiving said fluid pressure; and, connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and said locking means for preventing said locking means from moving to a locked position when said pressure in said compartment is below said predetermined value, whereby said nozzle cannot be opened to dispense fluid.

Claim 3

The safety mechanism of claim 1 wherein said control means includes: collapsible means in fluid communication with said compartment and having one end fixed to the spout; housing means engageable with the other end of said collapsible means and moveable on said spout whereby a force applied to said housing means collapses said collapsible means generating the pressure in said compartment to disengage said connecting means and locking means.

Claim 4

The safety mechanism of claim 2 wherein said collapsible means comprises an annular bellows encircling the spout.

Claim 5

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout including collapsible means for generating a fluid pressure and having one end fixed to the spout and housing means engageable with the other end of the collapsible means and moveable on the spout whereby a force applied to the housing means collapses and collapsible means generating a predetermined pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said collapsible means whereby the generated pressure is applied to said pressure responsive means; connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means, said connecting means including a holder member connected to said pressure responsive means, said holder having a borE therein and a slot extending into said bore, said connecting means also including an elongated member connected to the locking means and movably extending into said bore and a pin carried by said elongated member projecting through and moveable in said slot and engaging one end of said slot when the pressure in said compartment is below the predetermined value to prevent the locking means from moving into the locked position wherein the valve can be opened; a spring located between the housing and locking means biasing the locking means and said elongated member relatively away from said pressure responsive member; and, a second spring located between the housing and said holder member biasing said pressure responsive means in a direction to reduce the volume of said compartment and relatively away from the locking means.

Claim 6

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout including collapsible means for generating a fluid pressure and having one end fixed to the spout and housing means engageable with the other end of the collapsible means and moveable on the spout whereby a force applied to the housing means collapses and collapsible means generating a predetermined pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said collapsible means whereby the generated pressure is applied to said pressure responsive means; connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means, said connecting means including a holder member connected to said pressure responsive means, said holder having a borE therein and a slot extending into said bore, said connecting means also including an elongated member connected to the locking means and movably extending into said bore and a pin carried by said elongated member projecting through and moveable in said slot and engaging one end of said slot when the pressure in said compartment is below the predetermined value to prevent the locking means from moving into the locked position wherein the valve can be opened; a spring located between the housing and locking means biasing the locking means and said elongated member relatively away from said pressure responsive member; and, a second spring located between the housing and said holder member biasing said pressure responsive means in a direction to reduce the volume of said compartment and relatively away from the locking means.

Claim 7

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure, said control means including an annular bellows encircling the spout and having one end fixed to the spout, said control means also including housing means engageable with the other end of said bellows and movable on the spout whereby a force applied to said housing means collapses said bellows generating said pressure; pressure responsive means located in forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means to prevent the locking means from moving to a locked position when the pressure in said compartment is below a predetermined value; abutment means slidably disposed on the spout; and, resilient means encircling the spout and having one end engaging said abutment means and the other end engaging said housing means, whereby a force exerted said abutment means is transmitted to said housing means.

Claim 8

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure, said control means including an annular bellows encircling the spout and having one end fixed to the spout, said control means also including housing means engageable with the other end of said bellows and movable on the spout whereby a force applied to said housing means collapses said bellows generating said pressure; pressure responsive means located in forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means to prevent the locking means from moving to a locked position when the pressure in said compartment is below a predetermined value; abutment means slidably disposed on the spout; and, resilient means encircling the spout and having one end engaging said abutment means and the other end engaging said housing means, whereby a force exerted said abutment means is transmitted to said housing means.

Claim 9

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure, said control means including a plurality of bellows circumferentially spaced about the exterior of the spout and having one end fixed to the spout said control means also including housing means engageable with the other end of said bellows and movable on said spout whereby a force applied to said housing means collapses said bellows generating said pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; and, connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means to prevent the locking means from moving a locked position when the pressure in said compartment is below a predetermined value.

Claim 10

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasable locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure, said control means including a plurality of bellows circumferentially spaced about the exterior of the spout and having one end fixed to the spout said control means also including housing means engageable with the other end of said bellows and movable on said spout whereby a force applied to said housing means collapses said bellows generating said pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; and, connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means to prevent the locking means from moving a locked position when the pressure in said compartment is below a predetermined value.

Claim 11

The safety mechanism of claim 6 wherein said housing means substantially individually encompasses each said bellows.

Claim 12

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasAble locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; and, connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means, said connecting means including a holder member connected to said pressure responsive means having a bore therein and a slot extending into said bore, said connecting means also including an elongated member connected to the locking means and movably extending into said bore, and a pin carried by said elongated member projecting into and movable along said slot and engaging one end of said slot when the pressure in said compartment is below the predetermined value to prevent the locking means from moving into the locked position wherein the valve can be opened.

Claim 13

A safety mechanism for use in a manually operable-automatic closing, fluid dispensing nozzle wherein the nozzle includes a housing, a spout connected with the housing, a flow valve in the housing, a valve lever, and releasAble locking means associated with the flow valve to prevent opening of the valve when unlocked, the locking means being responsive to a pneumatic signal to permit the valve to close irrespective of the position of the valve lever, said safety mechanism comprising: control means located on the spout for generating a fluid pressure; pressure responsive means located in and forming a compartment with the housing, said compartment being in fluid communication with said control means; and, connecting means operably connecting said pressure responsive means and the locking means, said connecting means including a holder member connected to said pressure responsive means having a bore therein and a slot extending into said bore, said connecting means also including an elongated member connected to the locking means and movably extending into said bore, and a pin carried by said elongated member projecting into and movable along said slot and engaging one end of said slot when the pressure in said compartment is below the predetermined value to prevent the locking means from moving into the locked position wherein the valve can be opened.

Claim 14

The safety mechanism of claim 8 and also including: a spring located between the housing and locking means biasing the locking means and said elongated member relatively away from said pressure responsive member; and, a second spring located between the housing and said holder member biasing said pressure responsive means in a direction to reduce the volume of said compartment and relatively away from the locking means.