Fluid handling – With repair – tapping – assembly – or disassembly means – Assembling or disassembling float or float valve
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-24
2001-05-08
Walton, George L. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
Assembling or disassembling float or float valve
C137S202000, C137S444000, C137S446000, C141S059000, C141S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227233
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pressurized fluid containers, such as pressurized LPG containers, are typically filled by transferring therein a fluid at high pressure from a pressurized fluid source, such as a tanker truck. The container is generally designed in the art such that when it has been filled to approximately 80% of its total volume, fluid begins to escape through a relief valve, thereby signaling that the container has been adequately filled and that the filling operation should be terminated.
Some municipal codes forbid allowing fluid, such as LPG, from escaping to the environment to signal the end of the filling process. Therefore, it is desirable to provide apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide improved apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention pressurized fluid apparatus including a pressurized fluid container, a pipe arranged for flow therethrough of the pressurized fluid into the container, a valve operatively connected to an end of the pipe disposed in the container, and a float attached to the valve, wherein the float is buoyed generally upwards by the pressurized fluid filling the container, such that when the float has been moved a predetermined amount, the float closes the valve and substantially stops flow of the pressurized fluid into the container, and wherein the float is insertable through an upper opening of the container, and wherein the valve is rotatably attached to the pipe, the valve being closed by an angular upward movement of the float, characterized by the valve including a tube with a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis formed therein, and a piston slidingly disposed in the tube, wherein only when the float is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the piston sealingly abuts an internal end face of the tube, thereby closing the valve.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the piston has an enlarged end and the bore has an enlarged portion to accommodate and receive therein the enlarged end, and wherein movement of the enlarged end along the longitudinal axis of the tube is constrained between a shoulder and an end surface of the enlarged portion of the bore.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an interface member extends from the piston and protrudes through an aperture formed in the tube, and the float is mounted on a float arm, and wherein an end of the float arm has a generally flat end portion which initially abuts against the interface member and a generally arcuate portion which initially contacts a low-friction portion of the interface member, and wherein the piston sealingly abuts the internal end face of the tube only when the arcuate portion slides off the low-friction portion.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an interface member extends from the piston and protrudes through an aperture formed in the tube, and the float is mounted on a float arm, and wherein an end of the float arm has a generally flat end portion which initially abuts against the interface member and a generally arcuate portion which initially contacts a low-friction portion of the interface member, and wherein the piston sealingly abuts the internal end face of the tube only when the flat end portion is rotated about 90° from the interface member.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the piston is shaped to ensure laminar flow of a pressurized fluid therearound.
Preferably a bypass passageway is provided for conducting therethrough fluid, even during filling of the container.
It is a particular feature of the present invention that the valve when closed, is preferably not hermetically closed, but rather a small amount of fluid is purposely allowed to leak into the container. The small leakage ensures that no damage will occur to the pipe due to pressure build-up.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a biasing device imparts a biasing force on the piston, the biasing force being of a magnitude such that if the tube contains a predetermined amount of the pressurized fluid then the predetermined amount is sufficient to overcome the biasing force and seat the piston against the internal end face, and that if the tube contains less than the predetermined amount, the biasing device urges the piston away from the internal end face of the tube. Preferably the biasing device is disposed in a bore formed in the piston.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a needle hole is formed in a wall of the float, the hole being sufficiently small such that generally only vapors of the pressurized fluid and not liquid of the pressurized fluid can enter the float.
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Abelman ,Frayne & Schwab
Walton George L.
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