Service valve assembly having a stop-fill device and a liquid level indicating dial

• US 7,921,873 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rochester Sensors LLC
• Original Assignee: Rochester Gauges Incorporated
• Inventors: Swindler, Danny E., Ross, Herbert G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRICE, CRAIG JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/840,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20080047606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 137/2, 137/198, 137/425, 137/434, 137/446, 137/447, 137/558, 141/198, 733/06, 733/09, 733/11, 733/17, 222/51
• US Class Current: 137/447
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/307 Additional means used in combination with the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7439 Float arm operated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7481 Rotary valve element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A combination overfill protection device, fluid level gauge, includes a service valve having a body defining a set of wrench flats, an input port, and a tank port wherein the overfill protection device has a float that rotates a shaft in response to a change in fluid level, the shaft transitioning the overfill protection device between opened and closed configurations and rotating a magnet within the service valve body proximate the wrench flat and wherein a gauge dial has a dial magnet housing sized to fit proximate to the wrench flat such that rotation of the magnet within the service valve actuates a dial magnet housed substantially in the dial magnet housing.

Claims

1. A combination tank valve apparatus providing fluid flow control, overfill protection, and fluid level gauging for use on a storage tank for liquefied gas, the storage tank having an internally threaded outlet port, the apparatus comprising:

a service valve having a body defining a tank connection, a valve seat, a valve outlet, and

a pair of wrench flats;

the tank connection having external threads formed thereon adapted for threaded connection into the outlet port of the tank, and defining an internal passage including a throat disposed on a first side of the valve seat and connected to a lower port;

the valve outlet defining an internal passage disposed on a second side of the valve seat and connected to an outlet port;

the wrench flats projecting from opposite exterior sides of the body adjacent to the throat to define substantially flat surfaces oriented parallel to one another;

an overfill protection device mounted to the tank connection of the service valve and including a float, a shaft, a overfill valve, and a shaft magnet, the float adapted to float at the liquid/gas interface of a liquefied gas in the tank;

the shaft operably connected to the float to rotate in response to changes in the position of the float and having an upper portion extending into the throat of the service valve;

the overfill valve operably connected to the shaft to transition between opened and closed configurations when the shaft rotates into a predetermined position;

the shaft magnet firmly mounted to the upper portion of the shaft within the throat of the service valve between the valve seat and the wrench flats to rotate with the shaft about a first axis and having a first magnetic flux field extending therefrom; and

a dial mounted on the body of the service valve and having a body, a dial magnet, and a pointer;

the body having a dial magnet housing extending therefrom with at least a portion of the dial magnet housing disposed adjacent to the body between the wrench flat and the valve seat;

the dial magnet being rotatably mounted in the dial magnet housing to rotate about a second axis oriented substantially orthogonal to the first axis and having a second magnetic flux field extending therefrom and at least partially overlapping the first magnetic flux field, the first and second magnetic flux fields interacting to cause rotation of the dial magnet about the second axis in response to rotation of the shaft magnet about the first axis;

the pointer being mounted on the dial magnet to rotate with the dial magnet and provide a visual indication of the liquid level within the tank.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the dial has a spring clamp for attaching to the service valve.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the overfill protection device provides a first set of threads adapted to interfit with a second set of threads on the interior of the tank port of the service valve.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the service valve body is substantially constructed of a non-ferrous material.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the non-ferrous material of the service valve body is selected from the group consisting of brass, aluminum, zinc and stainless steel.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the overfill protection device is substantially constructed of a hydrocarbon-resistant material.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the overfill protection device is substantially plastic.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the plastic of the overfill protection device is selected from the group consisting of acetal, nylon and ultem.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein the dial is removably mounted on the body of the service valve.

10. The combination of claim 1, wherein the dial is permanently mounted on the body of the service valve.

11. The combination of claim 1, wherein the dial is calibrated with at least markings corresponding to empty, one-half, and full.

12. The combination of claim 1 further comprising a spring for biasing the valve in the open position such that fluid can move out of the tank when the tank is substantially full.

13. A method of filling a pressurizable tank, comprising:

positioning a tank having a cylindrical sidewall defining a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough with the central axis of the tank oriented in a generally vertical direction;

directing the fluid through a stop-fill assembly positioned at least partially inside the tank, the stop-fill assembly including a shuttle body, a valve body, and a float operatively connected to the shuttle body, the shuttle body operable to engage the valve body and block the flow of fluid into the tank, the valve body directing the fluid radially away from the central axis of the cylinder at a location above the float when the shuttle body is in the open position;

operating the shuttle body with the float to engage the shuttle body with the valve body and block fluid flow into the tank when the fluid level in the tank reaches a predetermined level; and

wherein the float is connected to a counterbalance with a float arm having a rotating connection with a shaft connected to the shuttle body and wherein the step of operating the shuttle body with the float comprises rotating the shuttle body with the float arm to move the shuttle body into engagement with the valve body.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the stop-fill assembly further comprises a spring that biases the shuttle body in an open configuration, the method further comprising biasing the operating the shuttle body with the spring to move the shuttle body into the open position.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein fluid enters the tank through a service valve connected to the top of the tank, the method further comprising:

connecting the service valve to a source of pressurized fluid;

opening the service valve to admit fluid into the tank; and

closing the service valve when the fluid level in the tank reaches the predetermined level.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of directing the fluid radially away from the central axis of the cylinder further comprises directing the fluid through a least one port in the valve body that extends radially away from a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of displaying the fluid level in the tank with a dial indicator operatively coupled to the float.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of displaying the fluid level in the tank with a dial indicator mounted on the service valve.

19. An overfill protection device for use with a pressurizable tank having a cylindrical sidewall defining a central axis extending longitudinally therethrough, a generally semi-hemispherical bottom wall and a generally semi-hemispherical top wall, comprising:

a float adapted to float at the liquid/gas interface of a liquefied gas in the tank;

a shaft operably connected to the float to rotate in response to changes in the position of the float and having an upper portion extending into the throat of a service valve mounted the tank;

a float arm for mounting the float;

a counterbalance mounted on the float arm, wherein, the float arm is rotatably connected to between the float and the counterbalance to rotate the shaft in response to movement of the float;

an overfill valve operably connected to the shaft to transition between opened and closed configurations when the shaft rotates into a predetermined position, the overfill valve further comprising at least one outlet port directed radially outward relative to the central axis of the tank, wherein fluid entering the tank through the overfill valve is directed radially away from the central axis of the tank;

a shaft magnet firmly mounted to the upper portion of the shaft within the throat of the service valve connected to the tank to rotate with the shaft about a first axis and having a first magnetic flux field extending therefrom; and

a dial mounted on the body of the service valve and having a dial magnet, and a pointer;

wherein the dial magnet is rotatably mounted in the dial magnet housing to rotate about a second axis oriented substantially orthogonal to the first axis and having a second magnetic flux field extending therefrom and at least partially overlapping the first magnetic flux field, the first and second magnetic flux fields interacting to cause rotation of the dial magnet about the second axis in response to rotation of the shaft magnet about the first axis;

wherein

the pointer being mounted on the dial magnet to rotate with the dial magnet and provide a visual indication of the liquid level within the tank.

20. The device of claim 19 further comprising a spring biasing the overfill valve into the open configuration such that the overfill valve returns to the open configuration after the tank has been filled.