US 6,363,962 B1 · Crash valve actuator

Abstract

A crash valve is located in a liquid tight dispenser pan at a gasoline service station to close a conduit conveying gasoline to a gasoline dispensing unit to prevent uncontrolled flow of gasoline in the event a vehicle crashes into the dispensing unit. The dispenser pan collects any leaking gasoline or inflow of water; the presence of gasoline is an obvious safety hazard and the accumulating water may cause electrical or mechanical malfunction of the crash valve. An actuator, responsive to the presence of either water or gasoline in the dispenser pan, includes a weighted ball secured to a trip arm of the crash valve by a lanyard. The actuator will respond to the presence of gasoline or water by dislodging the ball and cause the ball to drop. The weight of the falling ball, translated through the lanyard, will cause the trip arm to close the crash valve and prevent further flow of gasoline therethrough and preclude the dispensing unit from pumping gasoline until the trip arm is reset.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An actuator for actuating a crash valve located in a dispenser pan and operating in conjunction with a dispensing unit for dispensing gasoline at a service station, said actuator comprising in combination:

a) a base for locating said actuator in the dispenser pan;
b) a sleeve defining a hollow cylinder and extending upwardly from said base and including a slot in fluid communication with said cylinder and an annular end located at the upper end;
c) a ball seated upon said annular end;
d) a porous hydrophobic cartridge disposed within said cylinder, said cartridge becoming elongated in response to contact with a liquid hydrocarbon;
e) a plunger translatable within said sleeve in response to elongation of said porous hydrophobic cartridge and having an end translatable past said annular end of said sleeve to dislodge said ball from said annular end;
f) a trip arm pivotably attached to the crash valve for initiating closure of the crash valve upon pivotal movement of said trip arm;
g) a lanyard interconnecting said ball with said trip arm;
h) a float vertically responsive to any water present in the dispenser pan;
i) a pivotable arm having one end attached to said float and the other end proximate said ball for dislodging said ball from said annular end upon a rise of said float when the water within the dispenser pan reaches a predetermined level;
whereby, upon dislodgement of said ball, said ball will drop until restrained by said lanyard and the force of said ball on said lanyard will pivot said trip arm and the crash valve will close.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Crash valve actuator

Life of this patent

Crash valve actuator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26