US 6,076,546 A · Overflow protection valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly is provided that prevents overfilling of vessels, such as tanks used to hold liquified gas, beyond a predetermined maximum level. Preferably, the valve assembly is for use with an LP tank attached at the bottom of a service valve thereof. The valve assembly has a valve member controlled for shifting by a float assembly that rises and falls with the fluid level in the tank. The float assembly keeps the valve member removed from the flow of fluid through the valve housing during tank filling operations in a chamber of a diverter member until the maximum fill level is approached when the float assembly allows the valve member to begin to shift into a blocking position projecting from the diverter member restricting flow into the tank and eventually cutting it off when the maximum fill level is attained. Flow paths defined by recessed channels formed on the exterior of the diverter member direct incoming fluid flow around the valve member in the diverter member chamber during tank filling operations. A port of the housing is below the flow paths which direct fluid through the port during tank filling operations until the valve member shifts to its blocking position. The valve assembly also allows for outgoing flow therethrough for unloading of the tank when opened to ambient by shifting of the valve member off from its seat in the blocking position due to the pressure differential in the tank interior versus the lower ambient pressures exterior of the tank. As the tank is unloaded, the float assembly lowers pivoting cam member thereof to lift valve stem causing the valve member to shift from between the flow paths and port allowing fluid to flow out from the tank.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A valve assembly for permitting fluid intake into an interior space in a vessel filling operation and fluid discharge therefrom in a vessel unloading operation and for cutting off fluid intake into the vessel at a predetermined fluid level in the vessel space during filling operations, the valve assembly comprising:

a fixed housing of the valve assembly;
a fluid flow path through the housing for allowing flow through the valve into and out from the vessels so that both vessel filling and unloading operations occur via fluid flow through the valve assembly;
a port of the housing for communicating with the vessel interior;
a valve member for shifting in the housing as the fluid level chances in the vessel interior space and in response to the pressure differential between the vessel space and ambient;
and
a float assembly for rising and falling in substantial correspondence to the rising and falling of the fluid level in the vessel space with the float assembly controlling shifting of the valve member to keep it removed from the flow of fluid between the flow path and the port at fluid levels below a predetermined maximum fill level in the vessel during filling and unloading operations, and during filling operations to allow it to shift into a flow blocking position between the flow path and the port at the predetermined maximum fill level for preventing further fluid flow through the flow path out from the port and into the vessel interior with the pressure differential between the vessel interior and ambient being sufficient to cause the valve member to shift away from the blocking position independent of the float assembly to begin vessel unloading operations from the filled vessel with the float assembly falling to continue shifting of the valve member away from blocking position.

3 more elements

A valve assembly for being connected to a service valve attached to a tank for holding liquified gas fluid in its interior at pressures greater than ambient exterior of the tank to produce a pressure differential therebetween with the liquified gas being loaded into and unloaded out from the tank interior with the service valve opened and through the valve assembly, the valve assembly comprising:

a body of the valve assembly affixed to the service valve;
an interior space of the body to provide a fluid passageway through the body between the service valve and the tank interior for loading and unloading of fluid into and out from the tank;
a single valve member that shifts in a portion of the body interior space in response to changing fluid levels in the tank interior;
peripheral flow paths formed in the body for redirecting fluid flow through the body interior space during fluid loading operations around the portion of the space containing the valve member;
a float assembly that rises and falls with the fluid level in the tank interior for shifting the valve member in the body interior space portion;
and
a port of the body adjacent the flow paths with fluid flowing through the flow paths and into the port during vessel loading operations and flowing through the port and into the flow paths during vessel unloading operations,
the float assembly being operable to allow the valve member to shift in a first direction to a blocking position between the flow paths and port during tank loading operations when the fluid level therein reaches the predetermined maximum fill level to stop further loading of fluid into the tank interior with the pressure differential between the tank and ambient being sufficient to cause the valve member to shift in a second direction opposite to the first direction away from the blocking position when the service valve is opened to the ambient with the tank at the predetermined maximum fill level for allowing fluid from the tank interior to flow through the fluid passageway and into and out from the service valve.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Overflow protection valve assembly

Life of this patent

Overflow protection valve assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13