Fuel vent tank for marine craft
First Claim
1. An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel from a vent line of a boat or other marine craft when fueling, said apparatus comprising:
- a collection tank having upper and lower ends;
a divider mounted in a lower end of said collection tank that defines a relatively small sub-reservoir therein;
a first inlet to said collection tank located in the bottom of said sub-reservoir, that admits a flow of fuel from said vent line;
a second inlet to said collection tank located on a side of said divider opposite said first inlet, that admits an additional flow of fuel from said vent line;
an outlet from said collection tank that allows displaced air to escape from said tank; and
a liquid level sensor mounted in said sub-reservoir defined by said divider, that actuates an alarm circuit in response to said sub-reservoir filling with fuel entering via said first inlet in said sub-reservoir.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel from vent line when fueling a boat or other marine craft. A collection tank is mounted in the vent line from the main fuel tank, upstream of the overboard vent of the vessel. The collection tank includes a small, secondary reservoir within the main volume of the tank. Fuel escaping the main tank through the vent line enters the collection tank through two fitting, one being located in the bottom of the collection tank within the secondary reservoir and the other being located outside the reservoir; air displaced from the tank escapes to the overboard vent through an outlet fitting in the top of the collection tank. A float switch or other liquid level sensor is located within the secondary reservoir and is operatively connected to a warning light or other alarm device. Because the secondary reservoir is smaller than the main volume of the collection tank the fuel fills the reservoir first, and thus actuates the warning device well in advance of the main volume of the collection tank filling up with fuel that might escape through the overboard vent.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel from a vent line of a boat or other marine craft when fueling, said apparatus comprising:
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a collection tank having upper and lower ends; a divider mounted in a lower end of said collection tank that defines a relatively small sub-reservoir therein; a first inlet to said collection tank located in the bottom of said sub-reservoir, that admits a flow of fuel from said vent line; a second inlet to said collection tank located on a side of said divider opposite said first inlet, that admits an additional flow of fuel from said vent line; an outlet from said collection tank that allows displaced air to escape from said tank; and a liquid level sensor mounted in said sub-reservoir defined by said divider, that actuates an alarm circuit in response to said sub-reservoir filling with fuel entering via said first inlet in said sub-reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for preventing a discharge of fuel from a vent line of a boat or other marine craft when fueling, said apparatus comprising:
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a collection tank having top and bottom walls and at least one side wall; a divider wall that is mounted across an interior of said collection tank so as to define a relatively small sub-reservoir therein; a first inlet fitting mounted in said bottom wall of said collection tank within said sub-reservoir; a second inlet mounted in a side wall of said collection tank on a side of said divider wall opposite said sub-reservoir; a outlet fitting mounted in said top wall of said collection tank; a float switch mounted in said sub-reservoir; an alarm device operatively connected to said float switch so as to be activated in response to filling of said sub-reservoir; first and second pipes that connect said first and second inlet fittings to a leg of said vent line leading to a fuel tank of said boat or other marine craft; and a third pipe connecting said outlet fitting to a leg of said vent line leading to an overboard vent of said boat or other marine craft; whereby fuel exiting said fuel tank through said vent line enters said collection tank via of both said first and second inlet fittings, while air is displaced via said outlet fitting, so that said fuel fills said relatively small sub-reservoir and activates said alarm device well in advance of said collection tank becoming filled so that fuel that might overflow through said overboard vent.
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17. An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel from a vent of a boat line or other marine craft when fueling, said apparatus comprising:
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a collection tank having a top and bottom walls; a fill sensing assembly that mounts as a unit and said bottom wall of said collection tank, said fill sensing assembly comprises; a base plate removably mounted to said bottom wall of said collection tank; an enclosure wall extending upwardly from said base plate so as to define a relatively small sub-reservoir having an open upper end; a first inlet fitting mounted to said base plate within said enclosure wall, for admitting a flow of fuel into said sub-reservoir; and a float switch sensor mounted within said enclosure wall for detecting a rise of fuel within said sub-reservoir; a second inlet fitting mounted in a side wall of said collection tank on a side of said enclosure wall opposite said first inlet fitting, for also admitting a flow of fuel to said collection tank; an outlet fitting mounted in said top wall of said collection tank for allowing air to be displaced from said collection tank; an alarm device operatively collected to said float switch so as to be activated in response to filling of said sub-reservoir; first and second pipes connecting said first and second inlet fittings to a leg of said vent line leading to a fuel tank of said boat or other marine craft; and a third pipe connecting said outlet fitting to a leg of said vent line leading to an overboard vent of said boat or other marine craft; whereby fuel exiting said fuel tank through said vent line enters said collection tank via of both said first and second inlet fittings, while air is displaced via said outlet fitting, so that said fuel fills said relatively small sub-reservoir and activates said alarm device well in advance of said collection tank becoming filled so that fuel that might overflow through said overboard vent.
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Specification