Safety liquid dispenser

• US 4,177,863 A
• Filed: 03/24/1977
• Issued: 12/11/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sydney Simon
• Original Assignee: Sydney Simon
• Inventors: Simon, Sydney
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Application Number:
  US05/780,801
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 169/62, 169/66, 169/68, 169/27, 169/85, 169/88, 220/63 A, 220/88 R, 220/88 B, 280/736, 280/441
• US Class Current: 169/62
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/06 of highly inflammable material, e.g. light metals, petroleum products
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03381 for preventing explosions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/12 Arrangements or mounting of devices for preventing or minimising the effect of explosion flame traps A62C4/00 ; Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0166 divided in several chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/052 large (>1000 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0629 Two walls
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0636 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0165 with handgrip
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0308 Protective caps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0364 flexible or articulated, e.g. a hose
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/013 Carbone dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 : Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 : Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0482 : Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 : Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/025 : different fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 : Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0178 : Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0189 : Planes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/90 : Rupture proof

Abstract

An improved inflammable liquid safety tank comprising a double walled tank body with the tank walls being interconnected by support plates. An intermediate container is formed by the inner wall structure of the tank and is adapted to hold inflammable liquid. A pressurized gas bottle is threadably mounted to a sleeve secured to and extending into the intermediate container. The pressurized gas bottle is selectively connected to the intermediate container to pressurize liquid held in the intermediate container. The pressurized gas bottle also communicates with the tank to pressurize a foam, nonflammable fluid, or cleaning agent placed in the chamber or outer compartment defined by the outer wall structure of the intermediate container and the inner wall structure of the tank body so that the foam, fluid or agent will be expelled from the tank if the tank wall is accidentally punctured. The outer compartment is preferably pressurized at a lower pressure than the intermediate container. A conduit is connected to an inlet/discharge fitting and extends into the intermediate container adjacent the floor of the intermediate container and below the level of liquid placed in the intermediate container. A flexible hose with an adjustable nozzle is mounted to the tank body for selective communication with either the outer compartment or the intermediate container so that the material contained within either of the containers can be selectively discharged from the nozzle.

Claims

1. An inflammable fluid safety tank comprising a double walled tank body, a sleeve means secured to the outer wall structure and inner wall structure of said double walled tank body, said inner wall structure of said tank body forming an intermediate enclosed container, a plurality of support plate members connected to and spacing said outer wall structure from said inner wall structure, the outer wall structure of said double walled tank body being provided with a circular handle, said handle being supported above the tank body by a plurality of mounts, the diameter of said circular handle being greater than the outside diameter of the tank body, fluid transfer means mounted to said outer tank surface and communicating with an outer chamber defined by the inner surface of the tank body'"'"'s outer wall and the outer wall of the intermediate enclosed container, a second fluid transfer means mounted to said tank body and communicating with said intermediate enclosed container, a pressurized gas container assembly including a pressurized gas container removably mounted to said sleeve means and positioned within said intermediate enclosed container, said gas container assembly comprising means for selectively connecting said gas container for communication with at least one of said fluid transfer means to discharge pressurized gas into said intermediate enclosed container and outer chamber, a first material contained in said intermediate enclosed container and a second material contained in said outer chamber and discharge means mounted to said tank body adapted to selectively discharge pressurized material from either the intermediate enclosed container or the outer chamber.

2. An inflammable fluid safety tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said support plate members defines a plurality of apertures therein and including an end member secured to the inner surface of said outer wall structure and engaging the outer surface of one end of said intermediate enclosed container to support and space said intermediate enclosed container.

3. An inflammable fluid safety tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said fluid transfer means comprises a conduit means extending into said safety tank with quick disconnect means mounted on one end of said conduit means.

4. An inflammable fluid safety tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second material is a liquid fire retardant foam.

5. An inflammable fluid safety tank as claimed in claim 1 wherein pressurized gas container comprises a pressurized carbon dioxide bottle.

6. An inflammable fluid safety tank as claimed in claim 1 including pressure release valve means communicating with said intermediate container interior, said pressure release valve means discharging gas from said intermediate container into the atmosphere when said gas reaches a predetermined pressure.

7. A portable safety tank comprising a tank body, a sleeve member secured to said tank body and extending inside said tank body, an intermediate container mounted inside said tank body to said sleeve member, an inner container mounted in said sleeve member, means in said intermediate container to receive a liquid material into its interior, said inner container containing a pressurized inert gas, conduit means connecting said inner container to said intermediate container and allowing selective communication of the pressurized gas from said inner container to said intermediate container and to a compartment defined by the inner wall surface of the intermediate container, a plurality of support means mounted to said tank body inner wall surface extending into said compartment to support and space said intermediate container from said tank body inner wall surface, a second material place in the compartment defined by the inner wall surface of said tank body and the outer wall surface of said intermediate container and discharge means mounted to said tank body, said discharge means being selectively adapted to communicate with said intermediate container and said compartment to discharge the material contained therein, said discharge means including a flexible hose having quick disconnect means on one end and nozzle means of the other end.

8. A portable safety tank as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support members define a plurality of apertures and an end member is connected to said intermediate container and said tank body.

9. A portable safety tank as claimed in claim 7 including a first conduit connected to an inlet formed in said intermediate container, said conduit extending substantially to the bottom of said intermediate container, the other end of said conduit being provided with quick disconnect means, a second conduit connected to the tank body and extending into the compartment formed by the inner wall surface of the tank body and the outer wall surface of the intermediate container, said conduit extending past the bottom of the intermediate container and in proximity to the bottom of the tank body bottom.

10. A portable safety tank as claimed in claim 7 wherein said sleeve member is threaded and adapted to receive said inner container.

11. A portable safety tank as claimed in claim 7 including material level detection means mounted to said tank body, said material level detection means being adapted to indicate the amount of material held in said intermediate container.

12. A fire extinguishing system for a motor vehicle comprising in combination a motor vehicle, an inflammable fluid safety gasoline tank mounted to said vehicle, said safety gasoline tank comprising a double walled tank body, a sleeve means secured to the outer wall structure and inner wall structure of said double walled tank body, said inner wall structure of said tank body forming an intermediate enclosed container, fluid transfer means mounted to said outer tank surface and adapted to communicate with an outer chamber defined by the inner surface of the tank body'"'"'s outer wall of the intermediate enclosed container and the interior of said intermediate container, a pressurized gas container assembly removably mounted to said sleeve means and positioned within said intermediate enclosed container, said gas container assembly having selectively connected to said fluid transfer means to discharge pressurized gas into said intermediate enclosed container and outer chamber, a fire extinguishing material container in said outer chamber, conduit means mounted to and extending through said vehicle, said conduit means being in communication with said outer chamber of said safety tank, valve means interconnected between said conduit means and said outer chamber, a plurality of heat sensing means located on said conduit means, said heat sensing means providing communication of the conduit means with the atmosphere when a predetermined temperature occurs, said valve means normally being in the closed position, and being activated when said predetermined temperature is reached in the area around said heat sensing means and said conduit means communicates with the atmosphere allowing said material contained in said outer chamber to flow through said conduit means into the atmosphere to retard combustion.

13. A fire retardation system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said heat sensing means comprises fusible links which melt at a predetermined temperature.

14. A fire retardation system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said conduits are prefilled with fire extinguishing material and pressurized by said gas container assembly of said double walled tank body.

15. A fire extinguishing system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the motor vehicle is a ship.

16. A passenger restraint system comprising in combination a motor vehicle, an inflammable fluid safety gasoline tank mounted to said vehicle comprising a double walled tank body, a sleeve means secured to the outer wall structure and inner wall structure of said double walled tank body, said inner wall structure of said tank body forming an intermediate enclosed container, fluid transfer means mounted to said outer tank surface and communicating with an outer chamber defined by the inner surface of the tank body'"'"'s outer wall and the outer wall of the intermediate enclosed container, a second fluid transfer means mounted to said tank body and communicating with said intermediate enclosed container, a pressurized gas container assembly removably mounted to said sleeve means and positioned within said intermediate enclosed container, said gas container assembly being selectively connected to at least one of said fluid transfer means to discharge pressurized gas into said intermediate enclosed container and outer chamber, a first material contained in said intermediate enclosed container and a second material contained in said outer chamber and discharge means mounted to said tank body adapted to selectively discharge pressurized material from either the intermediate enclosed container or the outer chamber, an inflatable air bag located in the passenger compartment of said vehicle, a conduit connecting said air bag to said pressurized gas container assembly, a two way valve located between said conduit and said gas container assembly, said valve being closed in its normal position, and impact sensing means secured to the vehicle, said impact sensing means serving to open said valve when an impact of a predetermined minimum force occurs so that pressurized gas will flow through said conduit and inflate said air bag.