Casing construction for fuel dispensing systems

In a fuel dispensing system having a casing which provides a fuel flow path from an underground tank to a dispensing pipe and which provides for transmission of electrical power to a submersible pump in the tank, the improvement comprising:

• a check valve housing forming part of said fuel flow path and presenting a valve seat;
• a removable cover on said check valve housing accessible for detachment from the housing when said casing is open;
• a mounting post carried on said cover;
• a valve stem carried on said post;
• a check valve element mounted on said stem for movement thereon between a closed position against the seat to close the flow path and an open position displaced from the seat to allow fuel to flow into the housing toward the dispensing pipe, said cover, post, stem and valve element being detachable as a unit from the check valve housing and removable as a unit from the casing;
• and
• yieldable means for maintaining said valve element in the closed position when the force against the valve element applied by fuel pumped through said flow path is below a predetermined level sufficient to overcome said yieldable means and move the valve element to the open position.

In a fuel dispensing system having an underground fuel tank and a dispensing pipe, the improvement comprising:

• a casing having a removable top cover;
• a submersible pump in the tank;
• a column pipe leading from the tank to the casing and carrying said pump to direct fluid from the tank to the casing;
• a power head in the casing to which said column pipe and pump are connected, said power head defining a fuel flow path therethrough for accommodating fuel pumped through said column pipe;
• a check valve housing for directing fuel from the power head to the dispensing pipe;
• a check valve in said housing arranged to open when the pump is active and close when the pump is inactive;
• first and second coupling members connected respectively to the power head and check valve housing;
• mating ends on said coupling members which seal together in a coupled position of said members to provide a sealed passage for fuel flow from the power head to the valve housing, said mating ends being separable from one another to allow the coupling members to be released and allow the power head to be removed from the casing along with the column pipe and pump when the top cover of the casing is removed;
• and
• a releasable clamp for securing said coupling members in the coupled position, said clamp including a pair of clamp sections pivoted together at one end and arranged to be pivoted closed around said mating ends and tightened therearound to seal said mating ends together.

A fuel dispensing system having an underground tank for holding fuel, a column pipe extending from the tank, a pump for pumping fuel from the tank through the column pipe, a dispensing pipe for delivering the fuel to a dispenser, a power supply line connected with an electrical power source, and a power delivery line extending through the column pipe to deliver electrical power to the pump, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a fluid tight casing having a removable cover providing access to the interior of the casing when removed, said casing serving to confine fuel that leaks therein;
• a power head in said casing connected with the column pipe to receive fuel therefrom, said power head providing a flow path for directing the fuel toward said dispensing pipe;
• a check valve housing in said casing between said power head and dispensing pipe to direct fuel therebetween;
• a check valve for controlling flow from said flow path of the power head to the dispensing pipe;
• an enclosed junction box in said casing receiving said power delivery line;
• means in said casing for electrically connecting said delivery line in the junction box to said supply line in the power head in a manner to isolate all electrical lines from the fuel flowing in said casing;
• a floor of said casing;
• a drain port in said floor for draining away fuel leaking into the casing;
• a drain passage leading from said drain port to the tank;
• and
• a drain closure normally closing said drain port but acting to open the port when leaking fuel in the casing reaches a preselected level on the casing floor.

A fuel dispensing system having an underground tank for holding fuel, a column pipe extending from the tank, a pump for pumping fuel from the tank through the column pipe, a dispensing pipe for delivering the fuel to a dispenser, a power supply line connected with an electrical power source, and a power delivery line extending through the column pipe to deliver electrical power to the pump, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a fluid tight casing having a removable cover providing access to the interior of the casing when removed, said casing serving to confine fuel that leaks therein;
• a power head in said casing connected with the column pipe to receive fuel therefrom, said power head providing a flow path for directing the fuel toward said dispensing pipe;
• a check valve housing in said casing between said power head and dispensing pipe to direct fuel therebetween;
• a check valve for controlling flow from said flow path of the power head to the dispensing pipe;
• an enclosed junction box in said casing receiving said power delivery line;
• means in said casing for electrically connecting said delivery line in the junction box to said supply line in the power head in a manner to isolate all electrical lines from the fuel flowing in said casing;
• a drain line extending from said power head to the tank to return fuel to the tank;
• an expansion relief line extending to said drain line from a location in said check valve housing downstream from the check valve;
• and
• an expansion relief valve for normally closing said relief line, said relief valve opening said relief line when the pressure therein transmitted from the check valve housing exceeds a preselected level.

A fuel dispensing system having an underground tank for holding fuel, a column pipe extending from the tank, a pump for pumping fuel from the tank through the column pipe, a dispensing pipe for delivering the fuel to a dispenser, a power supply line connected with an electrical power source, and a power delivery line extending through the column pipe to deliver electrical power to the pump, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a fluid tight casing having a removable cover providing access to the interior of the casing when removed, said casing serving to confine fuel that leaks therein;
• a power head in said casing connected with the column pipe to receive fuel therefrom, said power head providing a flow path for directing the fuel toward said dispensing pipe;
• a check valve housing in said casing between said power head and dispensing pipe to direct fuel therebetween;
• a check valve for controlling flow from said flow path of the power head to the dispensing pipe;
• an enclosed junction box in said casing receiving said power delivery line;
• means in said casing for electrically connecting said delivery line in the junction box to said supply line in the power head in a manner to isolate all electrical lines from the fuel flowing in said casing;
• an adjustable locking element having a connection with said check valve housing, said locking element having an extended position interfering with movement of said valve element past the partially open position and a retracted position allowing the valve element to move to the fully open position;
• a passage in said locking element forming a part of said expansion relief line adjacent the check valve housing, said passage having an outlet port connected with the remainder of the expansion relief line in the retracted position of said locking element and disconnected from the remainder of the expansion relief line in the extended position of said locking element;
• and
• means for sealing said port from the remainder of the expansion relief line in the extended position of the locking element.

A fuel dispensing system having an underground tank for holding fuel, a column pipe extending from the tank, a pump for pumping fuel from the tank through the column pipe, a dispensing pipe for delivering the fuel to a dispenser, a power supply line connected with an electrical power source, and a power delivery line extending through the column pipe to deliver electrical power to the pump, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a fluid tight casing having a removable cover providing access to the interior of the casing when removed, said casing serving to confine fuel that leaks therein;
• a power head in said casing connected with the column pipe to receive fuel therefrom, said power head providing a flow path for directing the fuel toward said dispensing pipe;
• a check valve housing in said casing between said power head and dispensing pipe to direct fuel therebetween;
• a check valve for controlling flow from said flow path of the power head to the dispensing pipe;
• an enclosed junction box in said casing receiving said power delivery line;
• means in said casing for electrically connecting said delivery line in the junction box to said supply line in the power head in a manner to isolate all electrical lines from the fuel flowing in said casing;
• a removable lid for said check valve housing accessible for removal from the check valve housing when the cover is removed from said casing;
• a mounting post carried on said lid and normally located in said check valve housing;
• a valve seat in the check valve housing;
• a valve stem carried on said post, said check valve being mounted on said stem for movement thereon between a closed position against the seat and an open position displaced from the seat to allow fuel to flow into the check valve housing toward the dispensing pipe;
• and
• yieldable means for urging said check valve to the closed position, said yieldable means being overcome when the force of fuel pumped through the power head exceeds a predetermined level,
• said lid, post, stem and check valve being removable as a unit from the check valve housing.