Programmable manual actuator

In a dispensing nozzle for filling a tank with a liquid where, when the tank becomes filled, the dispensing nozzle automatically shuts itself off and an operator can initiate gasoline dispensing causing gasoline to be further pumped into the tank which can result in gasoline being pumped into a vapor receiving system, said nozzle having a storage position in a housing or a dispensing position and having,

• a. a nozzle valve,
• b. means for actuating the nozzle valve into an open or closed position;
• c. automatic shut-off means, responsive to the liquid in the tank reaching a predetermined level, for placing the actuating means in a disabled condition wherein the nozzle valve cannot be actuated, said shut-off means having an enabling mode wherein the actuating means can actuate the nozzle valve and a disabling mode wherein the actuating means cannot actuate the nozzle valve;
• and
• d. locking means, responsive to the automatic shut-off means obtaining its disabling mode, for locking the actuating means in the disabled condition so that the nozzle valve cannot be actuated by the actuating means, said locking means having the capability of being reset to its normal position by being displaced linearly, wherein the actuating means and automatic shut-off means can function in their normal manner,
• the improvement which provides a locking system operating in conjunction with the gasoline dispensing nozzle to prevent, until reset, further dispensing of gasoline after the nozzle has automatically shut itself off comprising a reset actuator for resetting the locking means to its normal position wherein the actuating means can actuate the nozzle valve to permit further dispensing of liquid until the automatic shut-off means and the locking means is actuated again, and wherein a predetermined number of reset operations by said reset actuator is permitted, after which movement of the nozzle to a position for storage in a pump housing and back to the position for dispensing is required to permit another series of reset operations, said reset actuator comprising in combination:
• e. a reset actuator housing mounted on the nozzle and having an elongated drive passage therein;
• f. a driving element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage and having a rod extending outside said housing and terminating in a button so that the driving element can be manually displaced within the drive passage from a first position to a second position;
• g. a driven element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage and having an arm extending outside the housing for communication with the locking means so that movement of the driven element and arm away from the housing a predetermined amount, from a first position to a second position, acts to reset the locking means;
• h. means for restricting the movement of the driving and the driven elements in the drive passage so that the driving element cannot be moved to directly contact the driven element;
• i. at least one ball as motion transferring means located between the driving and driven elements, so that movement of the driving element from its first position to its second position causes the driven element to be displaced the predetermined distance sufficient to reset the locking means;
• j. means cooperative with the drive passage for removing a ball from the drive passage after the driven element has been displaced the predetermined distance from its first position to its second position;
• and
• k. means for returning the ball to the drive passage in response to rotation of the actuator housing through a predetermined arc to its storage position and then back to the position for the filling operation, whereby no more reset operations will be permitted after the ball has been removed from the drive passage and until the nozzle is rotated through the arc and returned to its position for the dispensing.

In a dispensing nozzle for filling a tank with a liquid where, when the tank becomes filled, the dispensing nozzle automatically shuts itself off and an operator can initiate gasoline dispensing causing gasoline to be further pumped into the tank which can result in gasoline being pumped into a vapor receiving system, said nozzle being in a storage position or in a dispensing position and having,

• a. a nozzle valve,
• b. means for actuating the nozzle valve into an open or a closed position;
• c. automatic shut-off means, responsive to the liquid in the tank reaching a predetermined level, for placing the actuating means in a disabled condition wherein the nozzle valve cannot be actuated, said shut-off means having an enabling mode wherein the actuating means can actuate the nozzle valve and a disabling mode wherein the actuating means cannot actuate the nozzle valve;
• and
• d. locking means, responsive to the automatic shut-off means obtaining its disabling mode, for locking the actuating means in the disabled condition so that the nozzle valve cannot be actuated by the actuating means, said locking means having the capability of being reset to its normal position by being displaced linearly, wherein the actuating means and automatic shut-off means can function in their normal manner,
• the improvement which provides a locking system operating in conjunction with the gasoline dispensing nozzle to prevent, until reset, further dispensing of gasoline after the nozzle has automatically shut itself off comprising a reset actuator for resetting the locking means to its normal position wherein the actuating means can actuate the nozzle valve to permit further dispensing of liquid until the automatic shut-off means and the locking means is actuated again, and wherein a predetermined number of reset operations by said reset actuator is permitted, after which movement of the nozzle to a position for storage in a pump housing and back to the position for dispensing is required to permit another series of reset operations, said reset actuator comprising in combination:
• e. a reset actuator housing mounted on the nozzle and having therein,
• i. an elongated drive passage, disposed within the actuator housing so that when the nozzle is in its dispensing position, a first end of the drive passage is lower than the other or second end, and when the nozzle is placed in an upward position, the first end of the drive passage becomes higher than the second end,
• ii. an elongated reservoir passage disposed essentially parallel to and essentially in the same vertical plane as the drive passage when the nozzle is placed in position for dispensing, and
• iii. two essentially parallel channels, each connecting the drive passage and the reservoir passage, with the reservoir entry channel being located near the first end of the drive passage, and with the drive passage return channel being located near the second end of the drive passage;
• f. a driving element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage, and having a piston section in the drive passage and a rod extending from the piston section outside said housing and terminating in a button so that said driving element can be manually displaced within the drive passage, said driving element having a first position wherein the piston section is in the second end of the drive passage and does not cover the junction of the return channel and the drive passage, and a second position wherein the piston covers the return channel and drive passage junction.
• g. a driven element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage, and having a piston section in the drive passage and an arm extending from the piston section, outside the housing for communication with the locking means, said driven element having a first position wherein its piston section essentially covers the junction of the entry channel with the drive passage, without reaching the location of the piston section of the driving element if the driving element should be in its second position, and having a second position wherein the junction of the entry channel and the drive passage is uncovered and its piston section is in the first end of the drive passage, the predetermined distance between the first and second position being sufficient to reset the locking means when the driven element reaches its second position;
• h. means for restricting the movement of the driving and the driven elements in the drive passage so that the driving element cannot be moved to directly contact the driven element;
• and
• i. at least one ball as motion transferring means located between the driving and driven elements, so that movement of the driving element from its first position to its second position causes the driven element to be displaced the predetermined distance sufficient to reset the locking means, after which the ball enters the entry channel, wherein it is no longer in the drive passage and no further reset operations are possible until the nozzle is rotated from its dispensing position to its storage position and back again to its dispensing position, whereby the ball returns to the drive passage through the reservoir passage and the return channel.

A programable actuator for a dispensing nozzle for filling a tank with liquid which provides a locking system operating in conjunction with the gasoline dispensing nozzle to prevent further dispensing of gasoline after the nozzle has automatically shut itself off by producing an output actuating motion in response to an input motion, said actuator designed to limit the output motions to a predetermined number for each series of actuations, after which no more output motions in response to an input motion are possible until the actuator is rotated through a predetermined arc and back to its original position so that a new series of output actuating motions are permitted, said acuator comprising in combination:

• a. an actuator housing;
• b. a driving element mounted in the housing so that it can be manually moved from a first position to a second position;
• c. a driven element movably mounted in the housing and having a first and second position, wherein movement from the first to the second position provides the actuator output actuating motion, said driven element also being mounted in the housing so that regardless of its position, no direct physical contact with the driving means is possible.
• d. at least one means for transferring the motion of the driving element to the driven element so that the movement of the driving element form its first position to its second position achieves a corresponding movement of the driven element from its first to its second position, thereby producing an output actuating motion, only when said motion transferring means is in communication with the driving and driven elements;
• e. means for removing the motion transferring means out of communication with the driving and driven element when the driven element reaches its second position;
• and
• f. means, responsive to the movement of the actuator housing through a predetermined arc and back to its original position, for placing the motion transferring means into communication with the driving and driven elements, so that another output actuating motion can be produced.

A programable actuator for a dispensing nozzle for filling a tank with liquid which provides a locking system operating in conjunction with the gasoline dispensing nozzle to prevent further dispensing of gasoline after the nozzle has automatically shut itself off by producing an output actuating motion in response to an input motion, said actuator designed to limit the output motion to a predetermined number for each series of actuations, after which no more output motions in response to an input motion are possible until the actuator is rotated through a predetermined arc and back to its original position so that a new series of output actuating motions are permitted, said actuator comprising in combination:

• a. an actuator housing having an elongated drive passage therein;
• b. a driving element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage and having a rod extending outside said housing and terminating in a button so that the driving element can be manually displaced within the drive passage from a first position to a second position;
• c. a driven element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage and having an arm extending outside the housing so that movement of the driven element and arm away from the housing a predetermined amount, from a first position to a second position, produces the output actuating motion;
• d. means for restricting the movement of the driving and the driven elements in the drive passage so that the driving element cannot be moved to contact the driven element;
• e. at least one ball having a size so that when located between the driving and driven elements, movement of the driving element from its first position to its second position causes the driven element to be displaced the predetermined distance sufficient to reset the locking means;
• f. means for removing a ball from the drive passage after the driven element has been displaced the predetermined distance from its first position to its second position;
• and
• g. means for returning the ball to the drive passage in response to rotation of the actuator housing through a predetermined arc and then back to its original position, whereby no more output actuating motions will be permitted after the ball has been removed from the drive passage and until the housing is rotated through the arc and returned to its original position.

A programable actuator for a dispensing nozzle for filling a tank with liquid which provides a locking system operating in conjunction with the gasoline dispensing nozzle to prevent further dispensing of gasoline after the nozzle has automatically shut itself off by producing an output actuating motion in response to an input motion, said actuator designed to limit the output motions to a predetermined number for each series of actuations, after which no more output motions in response to an input motion are possible until the actuator is rotated through a predetermined arc and back to its original position so that a new series of output actuating motions are permitted, said actuator comprising in combination:

• a. a programable actuator housing having,
• i. an elongated drive passage, disposed within the actuator housing so that when the housing is in its original position, a first end of the drive passage is lower than the other or second end, and when the housing is placed in an upward position, the first end of the drive passage becomes higher than the second end,
• ii. an elongated reservoir passage disposed essentially parallel to and essentially in the same vertical plane as the drive passage when the housing is placed in its original position, and
• iii. two essentially parallel channels, each connecting the drive passage and the reservoir passage, with the reservoir entry channel being located near the first end of the drive passage, and with the drive passage return channel being located near the second end of the drive passage;
• b. a driving element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage, and having a piston section in the drive passage and a rod extending from the piston section outside said housing and terminating in a button so that said driving element can be manually displaced within the drive passage, said driving element having a first position wherein the piston section is in the second end of the drive passage and does not cover the junction of the return channel and the drive passage, and a second position wherein the piston covers the return channel and drive passage junction;
• c. a driven element slidably mounted in the housing drive passage, and having a piston section in the drive passage and an arm extending from the piston section, outside the housing, said driven element having a first position wherein its piston section essentially covers the junction of the entry channel with the drive passage, without reaching the location of the piston section of the driving element if the driving element should be in its second position, and having a second position wherein the junction of the entry channel and the drive passage is uncovered and its piston section is in the first end of the drive passage, the predetermined distance between the first and second position being sufficient to produce an output actuation motion when the drive element reaches its second position.
• d. means for restricting the movement of the driving and the driven elements in the drive passage so that the driving element cannot be moved to contact the driven element, and
• e. at least one ball having a size so that when located between the driving and driven elements, movement of the driving element from its first position to its second position causes the driven element to be displaced the predtermined distance sufficient to produce an output actuating motion, after which the ball enters the entry channel, wherein it is no longer in the drive passage and no further reset operations are possible until the housing is rotated from its original position, through the predetermined arc, and back again to its original position, whereby the ball returns to the drive passage through the reservoir passage and the return channel.