Valve mechanisms

Claim 2

In a container for holding a liquid, a filling pipe having an inlet which is closable by a removable cap and an outlet disposed in said container, at least one air-ventilating line which opens into an internal recess defined in the inner surface of the filling pipe adjacent the filling pipe inlet end, and a valve mechanism for said air-ventilating line, the improvement which comprises, said recess being of parallelepipedic configuration and extending transversely of said filling pipe with said air-ventilating line opening in an axial wall of said recess, a spring comprising a double-bent U-shaped plate spring having two legs and a web portion connecting said legs mounted in said filling pipe and tensioned against the walls of said recess so that its legs are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of said filling pipe, said plate spring having a part thereof extending into the through-passage of said filling pipe, a seal carried by said plate spring and arranged to close the connection to the air-ventilating line, and an axial sleeve extension provided on said cap arranged, when said cap is mounted on said filling pipe, to engage and urge said plate spring, via its extension, in a manner to cause the connection to the airventilating line to be opened.

Claim 3

A valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the leg located nearest the inlet end of the filling pipe extends into the through-passage of the filling pipe, and wherein the other leg has a transverse bulge for co-operating with a corresponding curved surface in the corresponding wall of said recess.

Claim 4

A valve mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the web of the U-shaped plate spring is provided with tongues which extend externally of the U-shaped profile of the plate spring adjacent the edges of said one leg to engage within a transverse groove in that wall of said recess against which said one leg bears.

Claim 5

A valve mechanism according to claim 2, wherein that part of said one leg which extends into the through-passage of the filling pipe is at least partially formed with edges bent outwardly from the plane of said leg.

Claim 6

A fuel tank for a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination: a container adapted to hold a supply of fuel, a filling pipe having an inlet which is closeable by a removable cap, and an outlet disposed in said container, at least one air-ventilating line having an inlet disposed in said container and an outlet disposed in an internal recess defined in the inner surface of said filling pipe adjacent the filling pipe inlet end, said recess being of parallelepipedic configuration, said air-ventilating pipe opening in an axial wall of said recess, said recess extending transversely of the filling pipe, a spring comprising a double-bent U-shaped plate spring having two legs and a web portion connecting said legs mounted in the filling pipe tensioned against the walls of said recess so that its legs are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of said filling pipe, said plate spring extending for a distance into the through-passage of said filling pipe, a seal carried by said plate spring and arranged to close said air-ventilating line outlet, and a removable cap for mounting on said filling pipe inlet, said cap having an axial sleeve extension which is adapted to contact the extension on said plate spring when said cap is mounted on said filling pipe inlet to thereby cause the seal on said air-ventilating line to open.

Claim 7

A fuel tank for a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination: a container adapted to hold a supply of fuel, a filling pipe having an inlet which is closeable by a removable cap, and an outlet disposed in said container, at least one air-ventilating line having an inlet disposed in said container and an outlet disposed in an internal recess defined in the inner surface of said filling pipe adjacent the filling pipe inlet end, said recess being of parallelepipedic configuration, said air-ventilating pipe opening in an axial wall of said recess, said recess extending transversely of the filling pipe, a spring comprising a double-bent U-shaped plate spring having two legs and a web portion connecting said legs mounted in the filling pipe tensioned against the walls of said recess so that its legs are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of said filling pipe, said plate spring extending for a distance into the through-passage of said filling pipe, a seal carried by said plate spring and arranged to close said air-ventilating line outlet, and a removable cap for mounting on said filling pipe inlet, said cap having an axial sleeve extension which is adapted to contact the extension on said plate spring when said cap is mounted on said filling pipe inlet to thereby cause the seal on said air-ventilating line to open.

Claim 8

A valve mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the leg located nearest the inlet end of the filling pipe extends into the through-passage of the filling pipe, and wherein the other leg has a transverse bulge for cooperating with a corresponding curved surface in the corresponding wall of said recess.

Claim 9

A valve mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the web of the U-shaped plate spring is provided with tongues which extend externally of the U-shaped profile of the plate spring adjacent the edges of said one leg to engage within a transverse groove in that wall of said recess against which said one leg bears.

Claim 10

A valve mechanism according to claim 6, wherein that part of said one leg which extends into the through-passage of the filling pipe is at least partially formed with edges bent outwardly from the plane of said leg.