Abstract:
The locking fuel nozzle is used to prevent spilling of fuel while filling two-inch fill tubes on railroad cars. The nozzle includes a nozzle tube that is secured to a pressurized fuel source. The nozzle tube is inserted into the opening of the fill tube and delivers fuel from the pressurized fuel source to a fuel receptacle. A sealing member is disposed along the nozzle tube. A compression member is slidably disposed along the nozzle for impacting the sealing member. A handle is secured to the compression member for forcing the compression member along the nozzle tube. The compression member compresses the sealing member forcing it to swell. The sealing member swells until it completely seals the opening of the fill tube and the compression member is then locked into place by the handle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to fuel nozzles and more particularly to a locking, automatic shut-off, non-spilling fuel nozzle for supplying fuel to railroad cars or other similar fuel tanks. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Railroad train cars typically have a two inch fill tube for receiving fuel into its fuel tank. Two inch fill tubes are filling pipes having a two inch, threaded outer diameter. When supplying fuel to a fuel tank through the two inch fill tube a nozzle or other fitting must be screwed onto the threaded end of the filling tube. Over time the threads on the filling tube wear down or become damaged. When this occurs the connection between the fuel delivering nozzle and the filling tube becomes less secure and fuel will begin to leak during filling. The following patent documents disclose fuel delivery nozzles providing different means for preventing fuel leakage during filling. 
   United Kingdom Patent number GB 2 053 129 published on Feb. 4, 1981 discloses an apparatus for transferring fluent solids, liquids or gases to receptacles or pipelines. The apparatus comprises a discharge conduit associated with an inflatable member into which fluid can be introduced to cause it to expand into sealing contact with a mouth of a receptacle. The seal prevents escape of dust and fumes while allowing a range of sizes of receptacles to be used. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,207 issued on Aug. 1, 2000 to Enders discloses sealing device for a filling opening and method for its control. The sealing device is designed to prevent leakage of fuel fumes when filling a fuel tank. The seal is located in the vicinity of the filling opening inside of the fuel receiving container and abuts in a sealing fashion an object such as a filling device that is inserted into the filling opening. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,581 issued on Jun. 27, 2000 to Hashimoto et al discloses a fuel feed port sealing apparatus. A sealing member is provided in a fuel receiving tube. The fuel receiving tube is adapted to receive a fuel delivery nozzle. As the fuel nozzle enters the fuel receiving tube the sealing apparatus causes the feed port to decrease in inner diameter to securely fit around the fuel delivery nozzle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,866 issued on Feb. 22, 2000 to Nanaji discloses an onboard vapor recovery detection nozzle. The invention includes a vapor recovery nozzle having a vapor passage in its nozzle spout and a vapor inlet in communication with the vapor passage. The spout includes a movable seal mounted on the spout. The seal moves from a first position to a second position to substantially block the passage of vapors through a vapor inlet. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,577 issued on Aug. 12, 1997 to Loen et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,192 issued on March 11 disclose a fuel dispenser. The fuel dispenser comprises a nozzle having a vapor recovery conduit, a fuel supply conduit, a sealing device for mating with a fuel tank inlet, an optical liquid sensor and a device to disenable fuel flow when a control signal is generated by the sensor. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,192 issued on Mar. 11, 1997 to Anderson et al. discloses a fuel dispenser. The fuel dispensing nozzle provides a sealing means that mates with a fuel tank inlet. The sealing means comprises a boot having an elastomeric sealing surface, a source of pressurized gas, a channel for communicating the pressurized gas to the outside of the boot and a means to block fuel flow through the fuel nozzle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,395 issued on Feb. 6, 1990 to Kawase discloses a device for sealing a refueling opening. The sealing device has an elastic sealing member. The elastic member seals the gap between a fuel nozzle and a refueling pipe that the nozzle is inserted into. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,308 issued on Mar. 19, 1985 to Walker et al. discloses a sealing device for liquid dispensing nozzles that recover vapor having a conduit internal to a fill pipe. A sealing member that is capable elastic deformation provides a seal from the atmosphere between the mouth of a fill pipe and a liquid dispensing nozzle having a vapor recovery conduit means internal to the receptive fill pipe. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,490 issued on Nov. 9, 1976 to Voelz and U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,072 issued on Nov. 2, 1976 to Voelz et al. disclose a liquid dispensing nozzle assembly and sealing device. The sealing device includes a compressible cellular plastic material. When the discharge spout is inserted into a fill pipe the plastic material forms a vapor seal with the upper end of the fill pipe whereby the vapors escaping from the fill pipe are directed into an interior chamber. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,792 issued on Nov. 5, 1974 to Johnson discloses a fuel dispensing nozzle. The nozzle transfers fuel from a pressurized source to a vehicle fuel tank having a spout. The nozzle has a discharge tube for engaging the spout. An expandable material is carried on the discharge tube to be expanded when properly registered within the spout to form a seal. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,857 issued on Apr. 23, 1974 to Johnson et al. discloses a vaporizable fuel transfer system and seal thereof. The seal is an expandable bladder carried on a fuel dispensing nozzle. The bladder or seal is actuated by means of a valve communicated with an inflating medium and cooperative with a fuel flow control valve. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,928 issued on Mar. 2, 1971 to Hansel discloses a vapor seal for dispensing nozzles. The seal includes a plurality of flexible bellows that surround the nozzle to form a seal between the nozzle and a fill pipe that the nozzle is inserted into. 
   None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a locking fuel nozzle solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The locking fuel nozzle is a positive locking, automatic shut-off fuel nozzle that is used to prevent spilling of fuel during filling of a vehicle fuel tank. The locking fuel nozzle is particularly designed for use with two inch fill tubes on railroad cars. The fuel nozzle is inserted into the fill tube of a fuel tank and is locked into place. When the fuel nozzle is locked into place a seal is created between the nozzle and the opening of the fill tube. 
   The nozzle comprises a nozzle tube that is secured to a pressurized fuel source. The nozzle tube is inserted into the opening of the fill tube and delivers fuel from the pressurized fuel source to the fuel tank. A compressible sealing member is disposed along the nozzle tube adjacent the end of the nozzle tube that is inserted into the fill tube. A compression member is slidably disposed along the nozzle for impacting the compressible sealing member. A handle is secured to the compression member for forcibly sliding the compression member along the nozzle tube. 
   The nozzle tube is inserted into the fill tube of a fuel tank so that the compressible sealing member is positioned inside of the fuel tube opening. When the handle is pulled backward the compression member is forced forward along the nozzle tube to impact the compressible sealing member. The compression member compresses the sealing member forcing it to swell. The sealing member swells until it completely seals the opening of the fill tube. The handle then locks the compression member in place and fueling is commenced. The locking fuel nozzle further includes an automatic shut-off valve that cuts off the fuel supply once the fuel tank is full. 
   Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a locking fuel nozzle having a sealing member for creating a seal between the fuel nozzle and the fill tube of a fuel tank to prevent spilling of fuel. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a locking fuel nozzle that is locked into place to maintain the seal created in the opening of the fill tube, and which may only be unlocked manually by the user of the nozzle. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a pressure sensitive fuel shut-off valve that cuts off the supply of fuel once the fuel tank is full. 
   Still another object of the invention is to provide a locking fuel nozzle that eliminates the need for screwing the nozzle onto a threaded portion of the fill tube to help prevent leaking. 
   It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
   These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a locking fuel nozzle according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded, side perspective view of the locking fuel nozzle. 
       FIG. 3A  is a side perspective view of the locking fuel nozzle in the unlocked position. 
       FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of the locking fuel nozzle in the locked position. 
   

   Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention is a positive locking automatic shut-off fuel nozzle. The locking fuel nozzle is specifically designed for use with two inch fill tubes on railroad cars, but may also be used with any similar fuel tank for any type of vehicle. Also, the fuel nozzle  10  is intended for use with gasoline pumps but the nozzle  10  may be used with any volatile liquid delivery system.  FIG. 1  is an environmental perspective view of the locking fuel nozzle  10 . The locking fuel nozzle  10  is secured to a fuel tanker T at one end and is inserted into the fill tube of a fuel drum D (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) at the other end. The fuel nozzle  10  delivers fuel from the fuel tanker T to the fuel drum D. 
     FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the locking fuel nozzle  10 . The locking fuel nozzle  10  is secured to a pressurized fuel housing H. The locking fuel nozzle  10  comprises a nozzle tube  11 , a mounting plate  20  disposed along the nozzle tube  11 , a compression member  30 , a compressible sealing member  50  and a handle  120 . 
   The nozzle tube  11  has a secured end  12  and a fill tube engaging end  14 . The secured end  12  is located adjacent the pressurized fuel housing H. The secured end  12  of the nozzle tube  11  is attached to the pressurized housing H by a threaded nozzle nutt  70  that screws onto a threaded projection of the housing H. The fill tube engaging end  14  has a circular opening  16 . The fill tube engaging end  14  is inserted into the opening of a fill tube for a fuel drum D. A portion of the nozzle tube  11  extends into the fill tube to deliver fuel from the pressurized fuel source to the fuel drum D. 
   The compressible sealing member  50  is disposed along the nozzle tube  11  adjacent the fill tube engaging end  14 . The compressible sealing member  50  has an impact end  56 , an insertion end  54 , a main body portion  51 , an impact receiving portion  55  disposed along the impact end  56 , a pressure absorbing portion  53  positioned adjacent the insertion end  54  and a center through hole  59 . The sealing member  50  further comprises a plurality of hollow sections  58  that allow the sealing member  50  to ease the compression of the sealing member  50 . The hollow sections  58  extend through the main body  51  from the impact receiving portion  55  to the pressure absorbing portion  53 . 
   The main body  51  of the compressible sealing member  50  has an outer diameter  52 . The outer diameter  52  of the main body  51  may vary depending on the size of the fill tube that the nozzle tube  11  is inserted into. In general, the outer diameter  52  of the main body  51  is between two and four inches. The center through hole  59  allows the sealing member  50  to be positioned along the nozzle tube  11 . The center through hole  59  has an inner diameter that is substantially equivalent to the diameter of the nozzle tube  11 . The inner diameter of the center through hole  59  is 1⅜ inches. The impact receiving portion  55  has a diameter that is slightly larger than that of the main body  51 . In general, the diameter of the impact receiving portion  55  is between 2⅛ inches and 4⅛ inches so that it is ⅛ inches larger than the outer diameter  52  of the main body  51 . The overall length, i.e. the space between the impact receiving portion  55  and the insertion end  54 , of the main body  51  is between 1⅞ inches and 3⅞ inches. The above dimensions are provided as examples of possible designs of the sealing member  50 , however the sealing member  50  is not limited to these dimensions. 
   The sealing member  50  is preferably made from rubber. The main body  51  of the sealing member  50  is made from a relaxed rubber that allows the main body  51  to be easily compressed. The impact receiving portion  55  and the pressure absorbing portion  53  of the sealing member  50  are made from a solid, rigid rubber that is resistant to compression. 
   The compression member  30  is slidably disposed along the nozzle tube  11 . The compression member  30  comprises a first end  31 , a second end  32 , a cylindrical outer perimeter  33  and a center through hole  38 . The compression member  30  further comprises a slot  36  disposed along its first end  31 . 
   A mounting bracket  20  is slidably attached to the nozzle tube  11 . The mounting bracket  20  engages the slot  36  disposed along the compression member  30 . A fastener receiving hole  22  is disposed along the mounting bracket  20 . 
   The handle  120  is pivotally secured to the fuel housing H. The handle  102  has an elongated, rod shaped body with a gripping portion  122  disposed at a top end of the handle  120 . A mounting portion  126 , located at the bottom end of the handle, is secured to the fuel housing H by a fastener  128 , which is preferably a bolt. The handle  120  further comprises a side projection  124  having a through hole  129 . The handle  120  is free to pivot about the fastener  128  to move from an unlocked forward position to a rearward locked position (shown in  FIG. 3B ). 
   A handle extension bar  110  is secured to the side projection  124  of the handle  120 . The extension bar  110  has a curved main body  112  with an attachment end  114  and a slider end  113 . The extension bar  110  is pivotally secured to the side projection  120  of the handle  120  by a fastener  116  on its attachment end  114  that engages the fastener receiving hole  129  on the handle  120 . A threaded hole  115  is disposed along the slider portion  113  of the extension bar  110 . 
   A compression member adjuster  90  is secured to the slider end  113  of the extension bar  110 . The adjuster  90  has a generally rectangular main body  94  and an elongated threaded projection  92  that engages the threaded hole  115  of the extension bar  110 . A fastener receiving hole  96  extends through the main body  94  of the adjuster  90 . 
   The main body  94  of the adjuster  90  is secured between a pair of brackets  100 . The brackets  100  each have a top portion  102 , a bottom portion  104  and a spacer portion  106  disposed between the top portion  102  and the bottom portion  104 . Each top portion  102  has a pair of fastener receiving holes  101 ,  103 . The fastener receiving hole  96  on the adjuster  90  lines up with the top pair of fastener receiving holes  101  on the bracket. A fastener, particularly a bolt, engages the lined-up holes to secure the brackets  100  around the adjuster  90 . The bottom portion  104  of the brackets  100  is secured on either side of the compression member  30  by a bolt  34  that extends through a bolt receiving hole  105  positioned on the bottom portion  104  of each bracket  100 . 
   A pair of generally rectangular bolt plate  80  secure the brackets  100  to the mounting plate  20 . The bolt plates  80  have a first end  82  that is secured to the mounting plate  20  and a second end  84  that is secured between the brackets  100 . The bolt plates  80  have a pair of bolt receiving holes  86 ,  88 . The bolt hole  86  receives a bolt that secures the bolt plates  80  to the mounting plate  20  by passing though the fastener receiving hole  22  on the mounting plate  20 . The second end  84  of the bolt plates  80  are received between brackets  100  and a bolt extends through the bolt receiving holes  103  on the top portion of the brackets  100  and the bolt receiving hole  88  on the bolt plates  80 . 
   The fuel nozzle  10  further comprises a crush ring  40  and a retaining ring  60  disposed along the nozzle tube  11  on either side of the sealing member  50 . The crush ring  40  is disposed adjacent the impact end  56  of the sealing member  50  between the sealing member  50  and the compression member  30 . The retaining ring  60  is disposed adjacent the insertion end  54  of the sealing member  50 . The crush ring  40  serves to distribute the pressure from the compression member  30  evenly along the sealing member  50  and to protect the sealing member  50  from impact damage. The retaining ring  60  prevents the sealing member  50  from sliding along the nozzle tube  11  when impacted by the compression member  30 . 
   The fuel nozzle  10  also comprises a plurality of retaining fasteners  15  disposed around the outer circumference of the nozzle tube  11 . The retaining fasteners  15  are preferably brass fasteners  15 , but any suitable fastener may be used. The retaining fasteners  15  further secure the sealing member  50  in place on the nozzle tube  11 . The retaining fasteners  15  are easily removed to allow the sealing member  50  to be changed depending on the size of the fill tube. This feature allows a single fuel nozzle  10  to be used with varying sizes of fill tubes by removing the retaining fasteners  15  and changing the sealing member  50 . 
   The locking fuel nozzle  10  further provides an automatic shut-off valve  13 . The shut-off valve  13  is disposed along the nozzle tube  11  adjacent its fill tube engagement end  14 . Once the fuel tank is full the pressure from the filling fuel reaches the shut-off valve  13 . At this point the shut-off valve  13  terminates the flow of fuel from the pressurized fuel supply in the housing H. 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict the functional aspects of the locking fuel nozzle  10 . The locking fuel nozzle  10  creates a seal between the nozzle tube  11  and the fill tube that the nozzle tube  11  is inserted into. The seal is created by expanding or swelling the outer diameter  52  of the main body  51  of the sealing member  50 . The outer diameter  52  is expanded to fill the open space between the nozzle tube  11  and the fill tube.  FIG. 3A  shows the sealing member  50  before its outer diameter  52  has been expanded.  FIG. 3B  depicts the sealing member  50  with its outer diameter expanded to create the seal. 
   The outer diameter  52  of the sealing member  50  is expanded by impacting the sealing member  50  with the compression member  30 . To impact the sealing member  50  with the compression member the user of the nozzle  10  first inserts the nozzle tube  11  into a fill tube. Once inserted, the user forces the handle  120  backward. The direction that the handle  120  is moved is shown in  FIG. 3A  by arrow  130 . As the handle  120  is moved backward the extension bar  110 , which is secured to the compression member  30  by the brackets  100 , forces the compression member  30  to slide along the nozzle tube  11 . The adjuster  90  determines how far the compression member  30  slides along the nozzle tube  11 . To make appropriate adjustments the threaded projection  92  of the adjuster  90  is tightened or loosened to change the length of the adjuster  90 . 
   The second end  32  of the compression member  30  impacts the crush ring  40 , which distributes the pressure from the compression member  30  evenly along the sealing member  50  so that the sealing member  50  is compressed uniformly. The pressure from the compression member  30  forces the relaxed rubber of the main body  51  of the sealing member  50  to compress. The hollow portions  58  inside of the main body  51  ease the compression. The impact receiving portion  55  and the pressure absorbing portion  53  of the sealing member  50  retain their original size and shape because they are made from the compression resistant, rigid rubber. 
   Once the sealing member  50  is completely compressed, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the handle  120  is locked into place to prevent the compression member  30  from relieving its pressure against the sealing member  50 . To release the seal created in the fill tube the handle  120  must be manually unlocked and returned to its original position. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.