Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – Funnel type
Reexamination Certificate
2004-03-29
2004-12-14
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means
Funnel type
C141S331000, C141S337000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830085
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fuel tank filling and, more specifically, to fuel tank filling and level monitoring devices.
Portable fuel vessels or standard service station pumps are used to fill the fuel tank on a wide variety of landscape and small construction equipment. Either method requires the operator to place the nozzle of the filling device into the fuel tank inlet on the equipment. Monitoring the fuel level during filling is extremely difficult due to the small tank inlet being obstructed by the nozzle of the filling device. When the fuel level in the tank reaches the neck of the tank inlet the operator cannot react fast enough to prevent overflow. Fuel then spills onto the equipment and the surrounding area endangering the operator and the environment. Toxins from the fuel contaminate the ground water and cause permanent damage to the landscape. Fuel spilled on hot engines can cause serious personnel and extensive property damage. The present invention provides an inexpensive and simple means of monitoring the fuel level in a tank while it is being filled. A translucent cylinder threaded on both ends is attached to the inlet of the fuel tank. The operator the inserts the nozzle of the filling apparatus into the end of the translucent cylinder and begins to fill the tank. When the tank is filled to capacity the level begins to rise into the translucent cylinder indicating the tank is full. The operator then stops filling the tank, removes the nozzle of the filling device and applies the original cap from the fuel tank inlet to the end of the cylinder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other fuel tank inlet extension devices designed for filling fuel tanks. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,249,180 issued to F. P. Scully on Sep. 26, 1939.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,295 was issued to P. R. Gramo on May 21, 1962 and yet another was issued on Jul. 6, 1976 to James E. Russel as U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,660.
Another patent was issued to Walter P. Maynard Jr. on Jan. 17, 1984 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,027. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,567 was issued to Lewis Tyree Jr. on Mar. 23, 1993. Another was issued to Lewis Tyree Jr. on Aug. 29, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,196 and still yet another was issued on May 14, 1996 to Joseph R. Langlois as U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,891.
Another patent was issued to Willard M. Bennett on Nov. 3, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,491. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,154 was issued to Willard M. Bennet on Nov. 2, 1999. Another was issued to Gary Eugene Hornsby on Jun. 6, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,769 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 24, 2000 to James D. Donoho as U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,156.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,249,180
Inventor: Frank P. Scully, et al.
Issued: Jul. 15, 1941
In combination, a tank having a fill pipe and a vent pipe, means external of said tank separating the end of said fill pipe from the end of said vent pipe so that a normally audible sound such as might be produced by gas venting from said tank through a whistle in said vent pipe would be unaudible in the neighborhood of said fill pipe, a valve normally closing said vent pipe but adapted to open at a predetermined pressure, and a signaling pipe connected to said tank normally open and having an audible signaling device in series therewith, said signaling pipe having its outer end in such location that sound emanating there from may be heard in the neighborhood of said fill pipe, and means associated with the inner end of said signaling pipe for: altering the whistle when the liquid has risen to a predetermined.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,295
Inventor: Philip R. Gramo
Issued: Jun. 9, 1964
A liquid level signal device for attachment to the filler duct of a liquid storage tank comprising a generally cylindrical filler pipe, of substantially less diameter than said duct, which extends from the top of said duct through and to a substantial distance below the top wall of the tank with which it is associated, a generally circular disc with an eccentric hole in which the top end portion of said pipe fits and is secured to for a flange thereon, the outer edge portion of said flange being supported on the top of said duct, an intrusion tube between said filler duct and said pipe, said tube being so positioned that its lower end is disposed between the top wall of the tank and the lower end of said pipe at the elevation in said tank at which it is desired to obtain an indication of the rise of a liquid flowing into said tank, a removable whistle tube adapted to be fitted end to end with respect to said intrusion tube, and a whistle mounted on the outer end of said whistle tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,660
Inventor: James E. Russell
Issued: Jul. 6, 1976
To minimize gasoline spillage during the fueling of a pleasure boat, use is made of an overflow device that may be of a see-through plastic shaped to provide an adequate overflow chamber, which is positioned in the gas tank filler pipe, thereby enabling an overflow situation to be visually detected and appropriately attended to. Static electricity grounding during the fueling procedure, which ordinarily is achieved simply by establishing contact between the fueling nozzle and filler pipe, is, in this instance, achieved just as readily, even though the plastic device separates the fueling nozzle and filler pipe, merely upon the projection of the fueling nozzle into the overflow device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,027
Inventor: Walter P. Maynard, Jr.
Issued: Jan. 17, 1984
A simpler, more efficient and convenient, flexible pouring spout for liquid containers has the ability to teach fill-points without employing a funnel. The spout, when inverted, stores easily within the container and is effectively sealed with the container neck in both the pouring and stored positions. A single threaded cover cap can engage threads on either end of the pouring spout to prevent leakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,567
Inventor: Lewis Tyree Jr.
Issued: Mar. 23, 1993
Filling units for supplying small tanks or the like with gasoline, kerosene, or other flowable materials which attach to an inlet to such a tank. When the filling unit is in a fill position, a displacer section occupies a substantial volume within the tank. It allows the person filling the tank to supply the liquid until the tank will accept no more and the liquid reaches a predetermined level in a funnel portion of the filler. Thereafter, manipulation of the displacer section vertically within the tank, as for example by sliding a section of the overall unit upward, accommodates all the liquid remaining in the funnel up to such predetermined level within the tank by occupying the volume previously occupied by the displacer section and thereby completing the filling of the tank to a full condition without any spillage. The overall unit may be such that it is intended to be removed from the tank after each filling operation, or it may be designed to fit permanently within a wide-mouth tank inlet and to be movable downward to a storage orientation which allows the unit to remain mounted in the tank inlet and covered by the protective cap that normally screws onto the inlet opening to close it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,196
Inventor: Lewis Tyree, Jr.
Issued: Aug. 29, 1995
Filling units for supplying small tanks or the like with gasoline, kerosene, or other flowable materials which attach to an inlet to such a tank. When the filling unit is in a fill position, a displacer section occupies a substantial volume within the tank and allows the person filling the tank to supply the liquid until the tank will accept no more and the liquid reaches a predetermined level in a funnel portion of the filler. Thereafter, manipulation of the displacer section, as for example by withdrawing a section of the overall unit upward opening a valve or movement within the tank itself, causes all the liquid remaining in the funnel up to such predetermined level to be accommodated within the tank by occupying the volume previously occupied by the displacer section and thereby completing the
Kroll Michael I.
Maust Timothy L.
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