Patent GB-893982-A (GB)
Title: Liquid dispensing apparatus and remote register means therefor
IPC: B67D7/22
Filed: 1960-04-05
Abstract: 893,982. Electric selective signalling systems. GILBERT & BARKER MANUFACTURING CO. April 5, 1960 [April 20, 1959], No. 11970/60. Class 40 (1). [Also in Groups XVIII and XIX] Apparatus for remotely indicating the quantity flow of a liquid comprises a member rotatable in accordance with the liquid flow, said member being adapted to produce electrical pulses which allow incremental rotation of a numeral wheel shaft connected to a motor but normally restrained from rotation. The apparatus described is a liquid dispensing system in which the dispensing point and indicators are situated remotely from the liquid pump. General arrangement.-A petrol station comprises an island 20 having dispensing units 24, each dispensing unit including a quantity counter 36, a cost counter 38, a unit price indicator 40 and a delivery hose 26. Located remotely from the island 20 is an underground petrol storage tank 42 from which petrol is pumped by a pump 43 to meters 46 via normally-closed solenoid valves 48. The meters 46 have output shafts driving variators 50 provided with quantity and cost output shafts (not shown) each of which is adapted to supply electrical pulses over lines 28 to the quantity and cost counter wheels of the associated dispensing unit 24. In use, the hose nozzle 30 is removed from its housing and a knob 56 moved to its " on " position to effect zeroizing of the associated counters and energization of the associated solenoid valve 48, interlock means being provided to prevent replacement of the nozzle 30 untill the knob 56 is turned to its " off " position to de-energize the valve 48. Counter drives.-The arrangements for driving the quantity and cost counters 36, 38 are similar, only that for driving the quantity counter being described. A motor 64, Fig. 3, drives a shaft 70 which is connected by a pin-and-slot coupling 72, 86 to a shaft 78. Rotation of the shaft 78 in the counting direction is normally prevented by an arrangement comprising a ratchet-wheel 92 secured to the shaft 78 and cooperating with pawls 96 fixed to a hub 104 freely mounted on the shaft 78 and normally held by an escapement member 108 which co-operates with an escapement wheel 106 on the hub 104. Electrical pulses produced by rotation of a lobed cam on the meter shaft (Fig. 2, not shown) are transmitted over a pair of lines to energize alternately two solenoids whose plungers 122, 122<SP>1</SP> release the escapement member 108 to allow step-by-step rotation of the shaft 78. Operation.-In use, the operator removes the hose nozzle 30 from its holster and rotates clockwise the control-knob 56, Fig. 1, which is mounted on a shaft 400, Fig. 12. The first 20 degrees of motion of shaft 400 does not affect a cam 408, due to a lost-motion connection 409, 410. Further movement of the shaft 400 causes a lobe 416 on the cam 408 to close a reset switch 412 which results in the zeroizing of the counters. Further rotation of the shaft 400 results in an interlock (Fig. 10, not shown) being effective to prevent replacement of the hose nozzle in its holster. A toggle 430 is then effective to cause a lobe 440 on the cam 408 to close an operating switch 414 which opens the associated solenoid valve 48 allowing petrol to be delivered. When delivery is finished, the knob 56 is turned counterclockwise to its " off " position, the switch 412 being unaffected by counterclockwise movement of the lobe 416. The interlock is withdrawn, enabling the hose nozzle to be hung up. The counters may also be zeroized without removing the hose nozzle 30 from its holster by clockwise rotation of the knob 56, which can rotate sufficiently to close the switch 412 despite the hose nozzle being in position. Electrical circuits.-Closure of the reset switch 412 as described above energizes a relay R2, Fig. 14, which holds over its contacts R2-5, a relay R1 being energized over a contact R2-6, thereby energizing a transformer T from A.C. power lines 172, 174. Contacts R2-3 are open and contacts R2-4 are closed so that the motor 64 rotates reversely to effect zeroizing. Completion of zeroizing is signalled by the momentary opening of the microswitch contact 156, Fig. 14, thereby de-energizing the relay R2. With the knob 56 in its " on " position, the operating switch 414 is closed to maintain energized the relay R1, thereby energizing the transformer T and closing a circuit to the solenoid valve 48 to allow petrol delivery. The secondary of the transformer T provides a circuit for the motor 64 and, via a full-wave rectifier comprising diodes 200, a supply for pulse producing contacts 302, 302<SP>1</SP> on the meter drive-shaft and the solenoids 124, 124<SP>1</SP> which correspondingly operate the counter escapement drive. The switches 412, 414 control corresponding relays (not shown) to control rotation of the price wheels 38. Second embodiment, Fig. 15.-A dispensing unit 500, which is basically of conventional design has pulse-producing means 522 similar to those of the first embodiment and adapted to transmit pulses over lines 524 to a remote register 518 which is driven similarly to the counter wheels 36a-36c, Fig. 3 (Figs. 16, 17, (not shown). The operating handle 514 of the dispensing unit is arranged to close an operating switch (not shown) when the nozzle 502 is removed, which closure causes a lamp 534 to be illuminated on the remote register 518. A supervisor then momentarily closes a switch 536 which allows the dispensing unit operator to commence delivery. When delivery is completed the handle 514 is swung to allow the nozzle 502 to be hung up, thereby opening the operating switch to prevent further delivery. A known form of interlock 538 prevents the switch 536 being depressed again before the register 520 has been zeroized.