US3406700A

US3406700A - Safety trip device for valves on mobile tanks

Info

Publication number: US3406700A
Application number: US555379A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles W Beazer; Clarence I Taverner
Original assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
Current assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
Priority date: 1966-06-06
Filing date: 1966-06-06
Publication date: 1968-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-22

Description

Oct. 22, 1968 c. w. BEAZER ET 3,406,700

SAFETY TRIAD DEVICE FOR VALVES ON MOBILE TANKS Filed June 6, 1966 FIG.

//VVENTOR$ C.W. BEAZER C.I.TAVERNER "5 A 7' TORNEVS United States Patent 3,406,700 SAFETY TRIP DEVICE FOR VALVES ON MOBILE TANKS Charles W. Beazer and Clarence I. Taverner, Bartlesville,

0kla., assignors to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 6, 1966, Ser. No. 555,379 6 Claims. (Cl. 137-39) This invention relates to a means for shutting off the valve of mobile tanks such as vehicle-mounted storage tanks. In one aspect it relates to a safety trip device for automatically closing the valve of a vehicle-mounted tank in case of emergency, such as movement of the tank or in case of fire. In another aspect it relates to a safety trip device for manually closing the valve of -a vehicle-mounted tank from a locus remote from the valve.

In the handling of volatile fluids, such as liquefied petroleum gas and liquid ammonia, many safety requirements must be met. For example, such materials must be stored in specifically constructed tanks which are capable of withstanding relatively high vapor pressures. When introducing such material into a vehicle-mounted storage tank or removing material from such tank, it is necessary that the valve structure employed in such systems be provided with certain safety features.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a means for positive closure of such valve in case of appreciable movement by the vehicle-mounted tank, in addition to features for closing the valve in case of fire and for manually closing the valve at a position remote from the valve.

It is an object of this invention to provide a safety trip device for automatically closing the valve of a vehiclemounted storage tank in case of emergency. A further object of the invention is to provide a means for closing the valve of a vehicle-mounted tank upon appreciable movement by the tank. Still another object of the invention is the combination of a trip device wherein the valve of a vehicle-mounted tank is closed automatically in case of fire or in case of movement of the tank and also a means for manually closing the valve at a position remote from the valve. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention and the appended drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the trip device of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a detail view, partly in section, of the latch and valve arm of the trip device;

FIGURE 3 illustrates, in diagrammatic form, an elevational view, partly in section, of a valve suitable for use with the trip device; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates the trip device being utilized on a railroad tank car.

Referring now to the drawing and FIGURE 1 in partic ular, valve outlet passageway is secured to a vehiclemounted storage tank (such as in FIGURE 4) by means of flange connections 11 and 12. Passageway 10 is closed by threaded cap or cover 13. Crank 14 is secured to shaft 15 having secured thereon a lever or cam 16, see FIG- URE 3, which raises valve stem 17 of valve 20 to unseat valve seat 18 against the compression of spring 19.

Mounting bracket 21 is secured to flange 11. Latch 22 is secured to

extension arms

23 and 24 by fusible rivets 25.

Extension arms

23 and 24 and latch 22 are pivot-ally mounted on mounting bracket 21 by pivot pin 26. The latch 22 is held firmly against handle 27 by means of spring 29 and is prevented from sidewise movement by ring 28 on handle 27 of crank 14.

Cable or chain or other flexible linkage 31 secures cover 13 to arm extension 23 and is of sufiicient length to al- 'ice low cover 13 to rest upon the ground when cover 13 is removed from passageway 10. The length of cable or chain 31 can be adjusted by means of hook 32, or equivalent means, so that the cable or chain 31 is substantially taut. Thus any appreciable movement of the tank, see FIGURE 4, will trip the latch 22, releasing crank 14 so as to close the valve 20. Swivel 33 prevents twisting cable 31.

The valve 20 can be any valve suitable for use with a fluid storage tank. The spring biased poppet type valve illustrated in the drawing is representative of valves commercially available for this purpose.

Valve 20 can also be closed manually by means of cable 34 attached to extension arm 24. Often a vehiclemounted tank such as a tank truck or railroad tank car will have more than one valve for removing fluid from the tank or for filling the tank. In such case the cable 34 can be attached to the trip device on each valve so that all of the valves can be closed simultaneously from a locus remote from the valves.

In the operation of the safety device of the invention, for example the unloading of a tank car of gasoline, the cover 10 is removed and laid on the ground, substantially vertically below the end of the extension arm 23. A discharge conduit is threaded onto the passageway 10. When the conduit is secured to the receiving vessel and the unloading operation is ready to be started, the handle 27 is moved to open the valve 20. The latch 22 has a beveled end so that the latch rides up and over the handle 27 against the bias of spring 29 as the handle 27 is moved to valve-open position.

The chain or cable 31 is then adjusted so that it is taut, or nearly so. When the tank car is emptied or filled, as the case may be, the valve, or valves, are closed manually.

If the tank car is moved during the loading or unloading operation the cover 13 remains stationary on the ground and by means of the flexible linkage 31 trips the latch 22, releasing crank 14 so as to close the valve 20. In case of fire in the vicinity of the open valve 20 the fusible rivets 25 are melted, releasing crank 14 and closing valve 20.

The emergency valve-closing device is simple in construction and positive in action.

That which is claimed is:

1. In a fluid dispensing apparatus comprising a vehiclemounted storage tank having a dispensing valve connecting the interior of the tank with a passageway leading from the tank, a biasing means urging the valve into closed position, and means connected to a crank extending from the valve to open the valve in opposition to the biasing means, the combination therewith of:

(1) a latch supported by the tank at a pivot point and biased to bear against the crank and to restrain the crank when the valve is in open position;

(2) an arm extension of said latch opposite the pivot point from the latch;

(3) a removable cover, for the passageway leading from the tank, of sufiicient mass to overcome the bias of the latch; and

(4) a flexible linkage secured at one end to said cover and at the other end to said arm extension so that when the cover is removed from the passageway and placed upon the ground the linkage is substantially taut whereby movement of the tank moves the extension arm and trips the latch so as to release the crank and close the valve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said latch is made of a low-temperature, heat-fusible material so that the crank is released upon fusion of said material and the valve is closed by the biasing means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a linkage is attached to said arm extension so that the latch can be tripped manually to release the crank from a remote a swivel to prevent twisting of the linkage when the cover distance. is threaded onto and off of the passageway.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible linkage connecting the removable cover and the extension arm References Clted is a metal cable 5 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible linkage 2,591,889 4/1952 Sundstrom 137-38 connecting the removable cover and the extension arm 2,965,116 12/ 1960 Boone et a1 13739 is a metal chain, 3,165,236 1/1965 Beazer et a1 a 13739 XR 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the passageway is threaded; the removable cover is threaded to mate with w WILLIAM ODEA Examl'iel the threads of the passageway; and the linkage contains GERARD, Assistant Examiner-

Claims

1. IN A FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING A VEHICLEMOUNTED STORAGE TANK HAVING A DISPENSING VALE CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF THE TANK WITH A PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM THE TANK, A BIASING MEANS URGING THE VALVE INTO CLOSED POSITION, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO A CRANK EXTENDING FROM THE VALE TO OPEN THE VALVE IN OPPOSITION TO THE BIASING MEANS, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF: (1) A LATCH SUPPORTED BY THE TANK AT A PIVOT POINT AND BIASED TO BEAR AGAINST THE CRANK AND TO RESTRAIN THE CRANK WHEN THE VALVE IS IN OPEN POSITION; (2) AN ARM EXTENSION OF SAID LATCH OPPOSITE THE PIVOT POINT FROM THE LATCH; (3) A REMOVABLE COVER, FOR THE PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM THE TANK, OF SUFFICIENT MASS TO OVERCOME THE BIAS OF THE LATCH; AND (4) A FLEXIBLE LINKAGE SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID COVER AND AT THE OTHER END TO SAID ARM EXTENSION SO THAT WHEN THE COVER IS REMOVED FROM THE PASSAGEWAY AND PLACED UPON THE GROUND THE LINKAGE IS SUBSTANTIALLY TAUT WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE TANK MOVES THE EXTENSION ARM AND TRIPS THE LATCH SO AS TO RELEASE THE CRANK AND CLOSE THE VALVE.