Arrangements for sensing the presence of liquid in a vapor line

Claim 2

An arrangement for sensing the presence of liquid in a vapor line including a body having an inlet communicating with a source of liquid and vapor and an outlet communicating with an area for receiving vapor, said body having passage means therein connecting said inlet and said outlet, said body having first and second valves disposed in said passage means, said body having a seat for one of said first and second valves, said one valve of said first and second valves having a seat for the other of said first and second valves, means to continuously urge one of said one and other valves into engagement with its seat, and the other of said one and other valves being movable into engagement with its seat when a predetermined quantity of liquid flows into said inlet of said body in a predetermined period of time to block said passage means whereby the presence of liquid is sensed, and the one valve of said one and other valves being moved out of engagement with its seat if the pressure upstream of said inlet exceeds a predetermined pressure after the other valve of said one and other valves has engaged its seat.

Claim 3

The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the other valve of said one and other valves has its seat in said body and the other valve of said one and other valves had the seat for the one valve of said one and other valves.

Claim 4

The arrangement according to claim 2 including means to continuously urge the other valve of said one and other valves away from its seat.

Claim 5

The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the one valve of said one and other valves has its seat in said body and the one valve of said one and other valves has the seat for the other valve of said one and other valves.

Claim 6

An automatic shut-off nozzle comprising a body having an inlet and an outlet, valve means in said body controlling flow of liquid from said inlet to said outlet, means controlling the operation of said valve means, a spout communicating with said outlet and having its free end for disposition in an opening of a fill pipe of a tank or the like, means to return vapor from the tank being filled, sealing means to form a seal between the fill pipe opening and said vapor return means when said spout is disposed in the fill pipe, said vapor return means including a body having its inlet communicating with the tank being filled and its outlet communicating with an area for receiving vapor, said vapor return means body having passage means therein connecting said inlet of said vapor return means body and said outlet of said vapor return means body, said vapor return means body having first and second valves disposed in said passage means, said vapor return means body having a seat for one of said first and second valves, said one valve of said first and second valves having a seat for the other of said first and second valves, means to urge one of said one and other valves into engagement with its seat, the other of said one and other valves being movable into engagement with its seat when a predetermined quantity of liquid flows into said inlet of said vapor return means body in a predetermined period of time to block said passage means whereby said controlling means is activated to move said valve means to its closed position to stop liquid flow through said nozzle body, and the one valve of said one and other valves being moved out of engagement with its seat if the pressure upstream of said inlet exceeds a predetermined pressure after the other valve of said one and other valves has engaged its seat.

Claim 7

An automatic shut-off nozzle comprising a body having an inlet and an outlet, valve means in said body controlling flow of liquid from said inlet to said outlet, means controlling the operation of said valve means, a spout communicating with said outlet and having its free end for disposition in an opening of a fill pipe of a tank or the like, means to return vapor from the tank being filled, sealing means to form a seal between the fill pipe opening and said vapor return means when said spout is disposed in the fill pipe, said vapor return means including a body having its inlet communicating with the tank being filled and its outlet communicating with an area for receiving vapor, said vapor return means body having passage means therein connecting said inlet of said vapor return means body and said outlet of said vapor return means body, said vapor return means body having first and second valves disposed in said passage means, said vapor return means body having a seat for one of said first and second valves, said one valve of said first and second valves having a seat for the other of said first and second valves, means to urge one of said one and other valves into engagement with its seat, the other of said one and other valves being movable into engagement with its seat when a predetermined quantity of liquid flows into said inlet of said vapor return means body in a predetermined period of time to block said passage means whereby said controlling means is activated to move said valve means to its closed position to stop liquid flow through said nozzle body, and the one valve of said one and other valves being moved out of engagement with its seat if the pressure upstream of said inlet exceeds a predetermined pressure after the other valve of said one and other valves has engaged its seat.

Claim 8

The nozzle according to claim 5 in which the other valve of said one and other valves has its seat in said body and the other valve of said one and other valves has the seat for the one valve of said one and other valves.

Claim 9

The nozzle according to claim 6 including means to urge the other valve of said one and other valves away from its seat.

Claim 10

The nozzle according to claim 5 in which the one valve of said one and other valves has its seat in said body and the one valve of said one and other valves has the seat for the other valve of said one and other valves.

Claim 11

The nozzle according to claim 5 in which said controlling means includes manual operated means controlling the operation of said valve means, release means to release said manual operated means to allow closing of said valve means to stop liquid flow through the nozzle body, a chamber, said flexible means forming a wall of said chamber and having said release means connected thereto; communicating means communicates said chamber with the tank being filled; means creates a partial vacuum in said chamber when liquid is flowing through said nozzle body; means blocks said communicating means when the pressure in the sealed tank being filled exceeds a predetermined pressure; and the other of said one and other valves blocking said vapor return means when the predetermined quantity of liquid flows at the predetermined location in the predetermined period of time to cause an increase in the pressure in the sealed tank beyond the predetermined pressure to cause said blocking means to block said communicating means to increase the partial vacuum in said chamber to move said release means to release said manual operated means to close said valve means.

Claim 14

An apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said body includes a base and a tail member, said tail member being rotatably fitted to said base member.

Claim 15

An apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said tail member serves as a seat for said first valve means.

Claim 16

An apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said tail member and said base member are connected by an elastomeric sealing member which serves as an electrical path between said tail and said base members.

Claim 17

An apparatus as recited in claim 13 further including a passage means through said first valve means, said second valve means being operative to block said passage in its first seated position.

Claim 18

An apparatus as recited in claim 14 further including means for spacing said second valve means from said first valve means when said second valve means is in its first seated position.

Claim 19

An apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein said second valve means has a bleed passage therethrough providing limited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet irrespective of the positions of the first and second valve means.

Claim 20

An apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein said first valve means has a plurality of longitudinal ribs which extend radially outward along its periphery, which ribs are in sliding relationship to the interior of said body as said first valve means is moved between its first and second positions, said ribs having a maximum radial extension proximal to the top portion of the periphery and a minimum radial extension at the bottom portion of the periphery.

Claim 21

An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said ribs extend longitudinally upward from said first valve means to limit upward movement of said first valve means and to space said first valve means from the inlet.

Claim 22

An apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said ribs have a body engagement portion of constant diameter proximal to the top of the first valve means and an adjacent portion whose diameter constantly decreases as it extends downwardly.

Claim 23

An apparatus as recited in claim 10 further including a passage means through said first valve means, said second valve means being operative to block said passage in its first seated position.

Claim 24

An apparatus as recited in claim 20 further including means for spacing said secod valve means from said first valve means when said second valve means is in its first seated position.

Claim 25

An apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said second valve mean has a bleed passage therethrough providing limited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet irrespective of the positions of the first and second valve means.

Claim 26

An apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said first valve means has a plurality of longitudinal ribs which extend radially outward along its periphery, which ribs are in sliding relationship to the interior of said body as said first valve means is moved between its first and second positions, said ribs having a maximum radial extension proximal to the top portion of the periphery and a minimum radial extension at the bottom portion of the periphery.

Claim 27

An apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein said ribs extend longitudinally upward from said first valve means to limit upward movement of said first valve means and to space said first valve means from the inlet.

Claim 28

An apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein said ribs have a body engagement portion of constant diameter proximal to the top of the first valve means and an adjacent portion whose diameter constantly decreases as it extends downwardly.