Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Automatic control of flow cutoff or diversion – Level or overflow responsive
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-29
2003-09-23
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Automatic control of flow cutoff or diversion
Level or overflow responsive
C141S206000, C141S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06622760
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a refuelling nozzle and relates particularly, although not exclusively, to a refueling nozzle for mining equipment.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Australian complete patent application No. 47577/99 describes a refueling nozzle of a “dry break” design. As shown in
FIG. 1
the refueling nozzle
1
includes a housing
2
to which a muzzle section
3
is fitted at a forward end and an end cap
4
connected at a rearward end. The housing
2
includes a fuel inlet
5
to which a fuel hose (not shown) is connected, and a fuel outlet
6
formed in the muzzle section
3
of the housing
2
. A fuel delivery passageway
7
is formed within the housing
2
between the inlet and outlet
5
and
6
, respectively. A retainer
8
is designed to seat about the fuel outlet
6
and is coupled to a piston head
9
via a piston rod
10
. The piston head
9
reciprocates within a rearward chamber
11
defined in the housing
2
. The piston head
9
is actuated via a cocking handle
12
which pivots about the end cap
4
. The cocking handle
12
is coupled to the piston head
9
via link members
13
. The refueling nozzle
1
also includes a spring
14
housed within the end cap
4
and arranged to force the piston head
9
together with the piston rod
10
and the retainer
8
clear of the fuel outlet
6
. The spring
14
is retained by a spring retaining member
15
which is threadingly fitted within the end cap
4
. Screwing of the spring retaining member
15
adjusts the spring force imparted on the piston head
9
by the spring
14
. The refueling nozzle
1
mates with a receiver
16
which is connected to a fuel tank (not shown). The receiver
16
includes a poppet valve
17
which is biased against and seals an outlet of the receiver
16
. In operation the retainer
8
axially presses against and thus actuates the poppet valve
17
to permit the flow of fuel to the fuel tank.
The refuelling nozzle of Australian complete patent application No. 47577/99 suffers from the following drawbacks associated with the spring retaining member:
i) the force in the spring can unnecessarily and repeatedly be adjusted merely by removing an end fitting of the end cap and rotating the spring retaining member or in the alternative embodiment merely by rotating the spring retaining member through an access port provided in the end cap; and
ii) the threaded connection of the spring retaining member may displace over time and thus vary the spring force imparted on the piston head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a refuelling nozzle comprising:
a nozzle housing including a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet between which is disposed a fuel passageway;
a reciprocating valve element being configured to sealably seat about the fuel outlet to prevent the flow of fuel through the fuel passageway;
a piston rod at opposing ends being connected to the reciprocating valve element and a piston, respectively, the piston being slidably housed in a piston chamber defined by the nozzle housing;
a spring being arranged at opposite ends to operatively cooperate with the piston and a spring retaining element, respectively, wherein the spring provides a biasing force to urge the reciprocating element via the piston and the piston rod to unseat from the fuel outlet; and
an end cap fitted to the nozzle housing, the end cap being arranged to house the spring and internally including a plurality of spaced apart recesses each being adapted to removably receive a locking element which engages the spring retaining element and, depending on the recess in which the locking element is located, vary the biasing force in the spring.
Preferably the recesses include a plurality of spaced apart annular recesses. More preferably the plurality of annular recesses are each in the form of an annular groove and the locking element is a C-clip which is removably received in one of the grooves. Generally the cap is provided with three or more of the annular grooves.
Typically the spring retaining element is generally cup-shaped and thus configured to locate about one of said opposite ends of the spring. More typically the cup-shaped retaining element includes an outwardly protruding flange which abuts the locking element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3208486 (1965-09-01), Fromm
patent: 4314582 (1982-02-01), Drori
patent: 47577/99 (2000-08-01), None
Clifton Julie Elizabeth
Maust Timothy L.
LandOfFree
Fueling nozzle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fueling nozzle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fueling nozzle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3071495