Abstract:
A poppet valve assembly is provided for use on a fuel tanker truck which enables the truck&#39;s driver to determine whether fuel is flowing through the valve assembly and whether fuel is present in the valve assembly. The valve assembly has a two part housing, one of the parts having a sight glass secured therein. The sight glass is visible through cutouts in the housing. When the poppet valve is opened, fluid flows through a flow channel in the valve assembly. The fluid, being different colors, may be easily seen through the sight glass from a distance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to poppet valve assemblies for controlling flow therethrough of a fluid, such as gasoline from a gasoline tank truck into an underground storage tank at a filing station. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to fill one or more underground storage tanks at a gasoline service station, a cargo tank truck typically pulls into the service station and unloads the fuel from the truck into the underground storage tank or tanks. Such a cargo tank truck commonly has multiple fuel storage compartments, each compartment having a cover and a pipe located below the tank to which is connected a valve assembly. The valve assembly is commonly a poppet valve assembly which is opened and closed by the truck&#39;s driver via a handle extending upwardly from the valve assembly. In order to unload fuel from one of the truck&#39;s fuel storage compartments into the underground storage tank, the truck driver or operator connects two hoses from the truck to elbows on the underground storage tank. One of the hoses is a vapor recovery hose which returns vapors to the truck from the underground storage tank. The other hose is connected at one end to one of the valve assemblies on the truck via an adaptor and at the other end to the underground storage tank. In order to cause fuel to flow through this hose to the underground storage tank, the truck driver simply opens the valve assembly. 
     Commonly, each underground storage tank has a valve therein, which closes when the underground storage tank is sufficiently full, thereby stopping the flow of fuel from the truck to the underground storage tank. After this valve in the underground storage tank closes, gasoline or fuel is still present in the line or hose extending between the cargo tank truck compartment and the underground storage tank. In order to prevent gasoline from overflowing onto the pavement of the service station, the operator of the cargo tank truck closes the valve assembly on the cargo truck and opens one of the cam arms on the adaptor, thereby allowing air to enter the hose. The air in the hose forces the fuel in the hose towards the underground storage tank and through a bleeder hole in the valve in the underground storage tank. After a sufficient time period has passed, the operator simply disconnects the adaptor from the valve assembly, removes the hose from the elbow of the underground storage tank and places the hose on the truck. After the vapor recovery hose is disconnected and placed on the truck the driver may move to the next location. 
     In order to prevent an accidental overflow, it is desirable for the cargo tank truck operator or driver to know if liquid is present in the valve assembly, and if liquid is flowing through the valve assembly. The operator does not want to disconnect the adaptor from the valve assembly of the truck with liquid present in the valve assembly or flowing therethrough. Consequently, it is advantageous for the driver to know whether fluid is present in the valve assembly and whether the flow of fuel through the hose has stopped. 
     Poppet valve assemblies are known which have a sight glass built therein in which a float is located in order to indicate liquid presence in the valve assembly. The float commonly comprises a hollow ball. When liquid is present in the sight glass, the float raises because its density is less than the density of gasoline. Thus, the operator is able to tell whether fuel is present in the valve assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,291 discloses such a poppet valve assembly with a sight glass on one side of the valve housing. 
     When unloading fuel from a tanker truck, it is desirable to know which type of fluid is passing through the valve assembly into the underground storage tank. This is important to ensure that the correct fuel is being placed in the correct underground storage tank. Motor fuels are dyed different colors to aid in their identification. For example, diesel may be colored red while a certain type of unleaded fuel may be colored yellow and another type of unleaded fuel colored blue. Different methods have been used to allow an operator to view the color of the fuel either before the valve assembly is opened to allow fuel to flow through the valve assembly into its desired location or while fluid is flowing through the valve assembly. 
     One such method, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , involves securing a sight glass between the mounting flange of a discharge pipe of the truck and a poppet valve assembly. One disadvantage with using this type of in-line sight glass is that the sight glass is highly stressed by the bolts that attach it to the mounting flange of a discharge pipe of a truck. The result is that the sight glass has a short lifespan and must be replaced often. Due to the large size of such a sight glass, repair is costly and may remove the tanker truck from operation for a lengthy period of time. 
     Another method, shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , involves securing a sight glass assembly between the mounting flange of a discharge pipe of the truck and a poppet valve assembly. This sight glass assembly uses a smaller sight glass than the one described in the above paragraph. This sight glass is contained within a metal brace. Therefore, the metal brace, as opposed to the sight glass, bears the stresses imposed by the mounting bolts. One disadvantage with using this type of in-line sight glass is that from a distance it may be difficult to view the color of the fuel, and therefore the type of fuel, passing through the sight glass. Another disadvantage with using this type of in-line sight glass assembly is the high cost of the sight glass assembly due to its multiple components and required assembly. 
     Each of these methods requires securing an element or elements between the mounting flange of the discharge pipe on the truck and the mounting flange of a poppet valve assembly, thereby increasing the chance of leaks or spills while increasing the cost of assembly, i.e. more labor. Therefore, it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a poppet valve assembly having an in-line sight glass incorporated into the poppet valve assembly which enables one to determine whether fuel is present in the poppet valve assembly from a distance and if so, which color fuel or fuel type. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention which accomplishes these and other objectives comprises a poppet valve assembly for use on a fuel tanker truck for loading fuel onto the truck or unloading fuel from the truck, most commonly into an underground storage tank at a service station. 
     The poppet valve assembly comprises a housing having a flow passage therethrough. The flow passage has a central axis. In one embodiment, the housing is a two-part housing comprising front and rear pieces joined together. 
     The poppet valve assembly further comprises a poppet structure for controlling fluid flow through the flow passage. The poppet structure is operatively coupled to a handle so that when an operator pulls on the handle, the poppet structure moves axially, thereby opening the valve and enabling fuel to flow through the flow passage. 
     An in-line sight glass is mounted inside the housing. The sight glass, in one embodiment, comprises one piece of see-through material such as acrylic or other plastic. The sight glass is preferably made of one piece of plastic, but may be made of multiple pieces. The sight glass is preferably made of acrylic but may be made of any see through material such as glass. The sight glass is generally cylindrical and has an axis which is generally coaxial with the central axis of the flow passage. The sight glass has an opening which is in fluid communication with the flow passage. The sight glass is held inside the housing with a retainer and is visible from a distance due to cutouts in the housing. The size and shape of the cutouts in the housing enable a truck operator to determine from a distance: 1) whether fuel is present in the poppet valve assembly and 2) the color of the fuel in the poppet valve assembly, i.e. the type of fuel in the poppet valve assembly. Being able to quickly and easily determine these items may prevent the operator from accidently opening the poppet valve assembly and pouring the wrong fuel in the wrong tank. 
     The size and shape/configuration of the in-line sight glass are such that it may be made at a relatively low cost. The poppet valve assembly enables a truck operator determine whether the correct fluid is present in the poppet valve assembly easily from a distance before pulling the handle to open the valve. Thus, the poppet valve assembly of this invention helps prevent an operator from accidently discharging the wrong fluid into the wrong underground storage tank. 
     These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially disassembled view of a prior art in-line sight glass located between an outer flange of a discharge pipe of a tanker truck and a prior art poppet valve assembly; 
         FIG. 1A  is a side elevational view of the prior art in-line sight glass of  FIG. 1  secured between the outer flange of the discharge pipe of a tanker truck and a prior art poppet valve assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially disassembled view of a prior art in-line sight glass assembly located between an outer flange of a discharge pipe of a tanker truck and a prior art poppet valve assembly; 
         FIG. 2A  is a side elevational view of the prior art in-line sight glass assembly of  FIG. 2  secured between the outer flange of the discharge pipe of a tanker truck and a prior art poppet valve assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a fuel tanker truck unloading fuel into a underground storage tank at a service station; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the poppet valve assembly of the present invention mounted on a pipe of a fuel tanker truck to which an adapter and hose are being connected; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially disassembled view of the poppet valve assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear end view of the poppet valve assembly of  FIG. 5  in an assembled condition; 
         FIG. 7  is a view taken along the line of  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the poppet valve assembly of  FIG. 5  in an assembled condition; and 
         FIG. 9  is a partially disassembled view of the poppet valve assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the figures and particularly  FIG. 3  there is illustrated a fuel tanker truck  10  having a tank  11  with four compartments  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c , and  12   d  having respective covers  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c , and  14   d . Although the compartments are illustrated by dashed lines, these dashed lines are for illustration purposes only. The truck may have any number of compartments in any location. Below the tank  11  are a plurality of pipes  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c , and  16   d  in fluid communication with the compartments  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c , and  12   d , respectively. Each of the pipes  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c , and  16   d  has a poppet valve assembly  20  secured to a mounting flange at the end thereof. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , pipe  16   a  has a mounting flange  9   a  at the end thereof. Poppet valve assembly  20 , and more particularly a rear mounting flange  42  of the poppet valve assembly  20  is secured to the mounting flange  9   a  of the discharge pipe  16   a  with bolts  21  in a manner known in the art. The poppet valve assembly  20  is the subject of the present invention and is described in more detail below. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an adaptor  22  is operatively coupled to a coupler  24  secured to the end of the hose  26  which extends to an underground storage tank  28 . The adaptor  22  has a pair of cam arms  23  (only one being shown) which secure the adaptor  22  to the poppet valve assembly  20 . A vapor recovery fitting  30  forms part of the truck  10  and is connected to a vapor recovery hose  32  which extends between the vapor recovery fitting  30  and the underground storage tank  28 , as is conventional in the art. The adaptor  22 , coupler  24 , hoses  26 ,  32 , vapor recovery fitting  30  and storage tank  28  are all conventional in the art and are not considered a part of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art in-line sight glass  2  having a plurality of holes  3  therethrough adapted to receive threaded bolts  4 . As is conventional, a washer  5  and nut  6  are used to complete the connection of a prior art poppet valve assembly  7  to a discharge pipe  8  having a mounting flange  9 . Many known prior art poppet valve assemblies have mounting flanges for this purpose, such as the poppet valve assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,449. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , when assembled the bolts  4  pass through the holes  3  of the in-line sight glass  2 , holes  13  in a rear mounting flange  15  of prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and holes  17  through the mounting flange  9  of the discharge pipe  8 . As shown in  FIG. 1A , bolts  4  are tightened with nuts  6 , thereby squeezing the in-line sight glass  2  between the rear mounting flange  15  of prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and the mounting flange  9  of the discharge pipe  8 . Stress caused by the connection between the prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and discharge pipe  8  give the in-line sight glass  2  a relatively short useful life and increase the frequency of repair/replacement of the in-line sight glass  2 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 2A  illustrate a prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  comprising a metal brace  19  having a plurality of holes  25  therethrough, a plurality of threaded bolts  4 , a see-through sight glass  27  adapted to fit inside metal brace  19 , a pair of o-rings  29 , washers  5  and nuts  6 . The prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  is used to connect a prior art poppet valve assembly  7  to a discharge pipe  8  having a mounting flange  9 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A , when assembled the bolts  4  pass through the holes  25  of the metal brace  19 , holes  13  in a rear mounting flange  15  of prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and holes  17  through the mounting flange  9  of the discharge pipe  8 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , bolts  4  are tightened with nuts  6 , thereby squeezing the prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  between the rear mounting flange  15  of prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and the mounting flange  9  of the discharge pipe  8 . Although prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  may reduce the frequency of repair/replacement of the in-line sight glass  27  as compared to the sight glass  2  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  is relatively expense to manufacture and the configuration of the metal brace  19  may not allow sufficient visibility of the fluid inside the sight glass  27 . 
     Use of either prior art sight glass  2  and prior art in-line sight glass assembly  18  requires an additional piece or pieces to be secured between a rear mounting flange  15  of a prior art poppet valve assembly  7  and a mounting flange  9  of a discharge pipe  8 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the poppet valve assembly  20  of the present invention allows a straight connection between a rear mounting flange  9   a  of discharge pipe  16   a  on a truck  10  and a rear mounting flange  42  of poppet valve assembly  20  with no intermediate member therebetween. Advantages of poppet valve assembly  20  having an in-line sight glass are: 1) visibility of the fluid inside the poppet valve assembly  20  is greater than heretofore; 2) the amount of plastic used for the sight glass is reduced, reducing the cost of the poppet valve assembly; 3) the in-line sight glass of the poppet valve assembly has a longer useful life than prior art sight glasses because the in-line sight glass is not subject to compression stresses. 
     The poppet valve assembly  20  of the present invention is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 4-9 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the poppet valve assembly  20  comprises a two-part housing  34 , having a front piece  36  and a rear piece  38  adapted to be joined with a plurality of fasteners  40 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , an o-ring  39  is located between the front and rear housing pieces  36 ,  38 . The fasteners  40  are illustrated as being threaded bolts, but may be any other type of fastener. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the front piece  36  of the two-part housing  34  has a body  37  having an inside surface  54  and an outside surface  56 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the front piece  36  of the two-part housing  34  has a rear flange  41  with a plurality of circular openings  44  therethrough for passage of fasteners  40  for securing the housing pieces  36 ,  38  together. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rear piece  38  of the two-part housing  34  has a front generally planar surface  46  with a plurality of threaded holes  48  around the circumference of the rear piece  38  of the two-part housing  34 . The threaded holes  48  are adapted to receive and retain threaded fasteners  40  to secure the front and rear pieces  36 ,  38  of the two-part housing  34  together. As shown in  FIG. 7 , this front generally planar surface  46  of the rear piece  38  of the two-part housing  34  abuts a rear generally planar surface  50  of the front piece  36  of the two-part housing  34  when the housing  34  is assembled. 
     The rear piece  38  of the housing  34  has a rear flange  42  with a plurality of openings  52  therethrough to secure the poppet valve assembly  20  to one of the pipes  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c , and  16   d  of the truck  10  with fasteners  21 , See  FIG. 4 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  has a outer portion  58  having an outer surface  60  and an inner surface  62 . As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , this outer portion  58  of the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  has a plurality of cutouts  112  between spaced vanes  114 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  also has an inner annular portion  64  having a generally conical shape with an inner surface  65  and an outer surface  66 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  9 , four spaced ribs  68   a ,  68   b ,  68   c  and  68   d  extend between the outer portion  58  of the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  and the inner annular portion  64  of the rear piece  38  of the housing  34 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a flow passage  70  is defined between the outer surface  66  of the inner annular portion  64  and the inner surface  62  of the outer portion  58  of the rear housing piece  38 . Fluid flows through the flow passage  70  around the ribs  68   a ,  68   b ,  68   c  and  68   d . See arrows  71  of  FIG. 7 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , a poppet structure  72  having a generally circular front portion  74  and a rear portion  76  is biased forwardly in a forward or closed position by a spring  78  as is conventional in poppet valve assemblies. The front portion  74  of poppet structure  72  has a groove  73  in which resides an o-ring  75 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The poppet structure  72  is movable via handle  80  between a first or forward position and a second or rear position (the second or rear position being shown in solid lines in  FIG. 7  and the first or forward position being shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 7 ). When the poppet structure  72  is in its closed forward position, the o-ring  75  partially within the front portion  74  of the poppet structure  72  contacts the inner surface  54  of the front housing piece  36 , thereby preventing fluid flow through the flow passage  70  of poppet valve assembly  20 . See  FIG. 7 . Between the poppet structure  72  and the housing  34  is a flow passage  70  having a central axis A. See  FIG. 7  When the poppet valve assembly  20  of the present invention is opened, i.e. the poppet structure  72  moved rearwardly to its open rear position, fuel flows through the flow passage  70  in the direction of arrows  71  from the rear to the front of the poppet valve assembly  20  (to the right in  FIG. 7 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , rear portion  76  of the poppet structure  72  moves inside a guide  69  which is part of the inner annular portion  64  of the rear housing piece  38 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , in order to move the poppet structure  72  in a rearward direction against the bias of the spring  78 , a handle  80  is pulled forwardly by the operator of the truck in the direction of arrow  82 . The handle  80  is operatively coupled to a rotatable or pivotal shaft  84  with a locking pin  86  held in place with a cotter pin  87 . Rotation of the shaft  84  in the direction of arrow  82  (clockwise as shown in  FIG. 7 ) causes a cam  90  to pull a pin  92  connected to the poppet structure  72  rearwardly, i.e. in the direction of arrow  94  from a closed position shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 7  to an open position shown in solid lines in  FIG. 7 . A sleeve bearing  96  surrounds the pin  92 . After the poppet structure  72  is moved rearwardly a sufficient distance, fluid may flow through the flow passage  70  inside the housing  34 , out of the valve assembly  20  into the hose  26  and ultimately into the underground storage tank  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the handle  80  has a slot  81  which receives a locking pin  83  extending outwardly from the outer surface  60  of the rear housing piece  38 . When the slot  81  of handle  80  is engaged with the locking pin  83 , the poppet structure  72  is held in its rear open position, enabling fluid to flow through flow passage  70 . See  FIG. 6 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a single piece in-line sight glass  100  is secured inside the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  and more particularly on the inside of the outer portion  58  of the rear housing piece  58 . The sight glass  100  is generally cylindrical, has an outer surface  102  which defines its outer diameter, an inner surface  104  which defines an inner diameter or opening  106  of the sight glass  100 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the sight glass opening  106  has an axis A 1  which is generally aligned or co-axial with the axis A of the flow channel  70  (see  FIG. 5 ) when the poppet valve assembly  20  is assembled. When the poppet structure  72  is moved rearwardly (to the left in  FIG. 7 ) by an operator pulling the handle  20  forwardly in the direction of arrow  82  (to the right in  FIG. 7 ) fuel or fluid may pass through the opening  106  in sight glass  100  and through the flow channel  70  which is in fluid communication with the sight glass opening  106 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , in-line sight glass  100  has a length L defined by generally parallel side surfaces  108 . Although one size sight glass  100  is shown, any other size of sight glass may be used in accordance with the present invention. 
     The sight glass  100  is preferably made of transparent plastic such as acrylic which one may see through, although it may be made of any transparent or see through material. The sight glass  100  is visible at a distance through cutouts  112  of the outer portion  58  of the rear piece  38  of housing  34 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the sight glass  100  is held in the rear piece  38  of the housing  34  with a retainer  110 . Although retainer  110  is preferably made of metal, it may be made of any suitable material. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 , a pair of o-rings  116  surround sight glass  100  and are located in grooves  118  in the rear piece  38  of the housing  34 . These o-rings  116  provide a snug fit of the sight glass  100  inside the rear piece  38  of the housing  34 . 
     Although I have described one preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.