Patent Publication Number: US-2003234043-A1

Title: Anhydrous ammonia valve lock

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates to an apparatus and method of locking an outlet valve on a tank of anhydrous ammonia. More particularly this invention relates to an apparatus and method of locking the valve which will prevent theft of the ammonia by addicted individuals and individuals taking the ammonia to produce methamphetamine, a restricted narcotic.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] The inventor was once addicted to narcotic drugs. Residing in Southern Colorado he became one of many young people with readily available access to anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia is used as a nitrogen fertilizer by many farmers in rural areas. It is transported from a large pressurized tank in a supply depot in smaller tanks to farms and ultimately to the fields where it is injected into the ground. Tanks of ammonia are always available at the supply depot and frequently can be found on farms and in the fields where they are used.  
       [0003] The problem is that with less than $200. of readily available parts $10. of anhydrous ammonia can be converted to the addictive and restricted narcotic methamphetamine having a value exceeding $1000. Knowledge of the conversion process has become relatively widespread among a large group of young people. And because of the general availability of anhydrous ammonia the narcotic has become commonly available. Many high school students have graduated to a life of drub addiction with its accompanying devastation of their health and the general deterioration of their lives.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] It is an object of this invention to disclose a relatively simple and foolproof valve lock for a tank storing anhydrous ammonia. It is an object of this invention to disclose a valve lock which unlike other valve locks does not lock the valve in a closed position, but a valve lock which prevents the connection of a feed line to the low pressure side of the valve. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a method of interrupting the supply of anhydrous ammonia critical to the simple and inexpensive production of restricted narcotics. The supply of anhydrous ammonia is now abundant in rural areas where it is used for fertilizer. It is a final object of this invention to reduce the general availability and supply of a narcotic drug, methamphetamine, which has irreparably harmed and ruined the lives of many young people and through its increasing and inexpensive availability threatens to ruin the lives of many more.  
       [0005] One aspect of this invention provides for a method of preventing unauthorized removal of a fluid from a tank having an exterior discharge valve adapted for reception of a feed line comprising the steps of: providing a valve enclosure; installing the valve enclosure over and around the valve; removably installing the valve enclosure over and around the valve; and, locking the valve enclosure on the valve so that a feed line cannot be connected to a low pressure side of the valve.  
       [0006] In a preferred aspect of this invention the valve enclosure comprises a split housing which opens for mounting over and around the valve and lockably closes to prevent access to the valve. Most preferably the split through the housing passes through an inlet opening sized to closely fit around either a connecting member connecting the valve and the tank, or an inlet side of the valve. In a yet more preferred aspect of this invention no outlet opening is provided in the valve enclosure. A stem opening, through which the split in the housing passes through, allows the enclosure to be minimally sized. Because the enclosed valve can be opened and closed, a feed line must be removed from the valve prior to installation of the valve enclosure.  
       [0007] Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     FIGURES OF THE INVENTION  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a discharge valve projecting from a tank of anhydrous ammonia.  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a valve enclosure in an open position. The valve enclosure is adapted to surround the valve shown in FIG. 1, restricting access to the outlet of the valve.  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the valve enclosure shown in FIG. 2 locked in a closed position over the valve shown in FIG. 1.  
    
    
     [0011] The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention.  
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0012] Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 we have an elevational view of a discharge valve  18  projecting from a tank  16  of anhydrous ammonia. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a valve enclosure  20  in an open position. The valve enclosure is adapted to surround the valve  18  shown in FIG. 1. The valve enclosure restricts access to the outlet side  14  of the valve  18 .  
     [0013] Most generally the valve enclosure  20  is for a discharge valve  18  having an inlet side  12  connected to a tank outlet  10  and an outlet side  14  adapted for connection to a feed line  6 . The valve enclosure comprises: a split housing  22  which opens for mounting over and around the valve  18  and lockably closes to prevent access to the valve  18 . The split  24  through the housing  22  passes through an inlet opening  26  sized to closely fit around one of a connecting member  8  connecting the valve  22  and the tank  16 , or an inlet side  12  of the valve  18 .  
     [0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention no outlet opening (not shown) is provided and a stem opening  28  through which the split  24  in the split housing  22  passes through. This allows the enclosure  20  to be minimally sized as the relatively large wheel  11  is accessible to open or close the valve  20 . Accordingly, in use the feed line  6  must be removed from the valve  18  prior to installation of the valve enclosure  20  over and around the valve  18 . when it is impossible to connect a feed line  6  to the valve  18  it is impossible for a thief to steal fluid  15  from the tank  16 .  
     [0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the split portions of the enclosure  20  are hinged  30  together on one side and are each have mating lock shackle adaptions  32  on the other opposite side. When the valve  18  is an inline valve  19  having its inlet side  12  and its outlet side  14  in a line  34 . And when the enclosure  20  is positioned on and over the valve  18  it generally has the hinges  30  on one side of the line  34  and the locking adaptions  32  on the other opposite side of the line  34 . In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the enclosure  20  is generally box shaped and the box shaped enclosure  21  is diagonally split across two opposite end portions thereof. The box shaped enclosure  21  is fabricated from plate steel.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the valve enclosure  20  shown in FIG. 2 locked  34  in a closed position over the valve  18  shown in FIG. 1. A general method of preventing unauthorized removal of a fluid  15  from a tank  16  having an exterior discharge valve  18  adapted for reception of a feed line  6  comprises the steps of: providing a valve enclosure  20 ; removably installing the valve enclosure  20  over and around the valve  18 ; and, locking  34  the valve enclosure  20  on the valve  18  so that access to the valve  18  is prevented. A preferred method includes the steps in the general method above but additionally includes the step of removing the supply hose  6  prior to installing the valve enclosure  20  over and around the valve  18  so that after the valve  18  is enclosed a feed line  6  cannot be connected to a low pressure side  14  of the valve  18 . More specifically this method includes using a valve enclosure  20  as described above.  
     [0017] While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.