Fuel dispensing hose breakaway assembly

• US 5,297,574 A
• Filed: 04/13/1993
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healy Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Healy Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Healy, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwadron, Martin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin L.
• Application Number:
  US08/046,996
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 137/68.1, 137/614.04, 137/614.03, 137/614, 137/614.05, 285/133.1, 285/135
• US Class Current: 137/68.15
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/3218 relating to emergency shut-off means
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 39/005 for concentric pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 39/02 for hoses
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/1007 Couplings closed automatically when broken
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1662 Tensile or sheer pin or bolt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87957 Valves actuate each other

Abstract

A breakaway assembly for use in combination with a fuel dispenser apparatus is disposed between a segment of the hose attached to a fuel dispenser unit and a second segment of the hose terminating in a nozzle. The breakaway assembly has body portions with a first, assembled condition and a second condition in which the body portions are separated. A fuel valve located in each of the body portion permits flow of fuel when the body parts are assembled and prevents flow upon separation. An element securing the body portions together releases engagement upon application of tension force to the hose, across the breakaway assembly, above a maximum level. In a preferred embodiment, the hose is coaxial and a vapor valve is also disposed within the breakaway assembly.

Claims

1. A breakaway assembly for use in combination with a fuel dispenser apparatus comprising a fuel dispenser unit, a coaxial hose connected thereto, and terminating in a fuel delivery nozzle, the hose defining a first, outer fuel conduit for delivery of fuel from the dispenser unit to the nozzle, for filling a vehicle tank, and a second, inner vapor conduit, coaxial with said first, outer fuel conduit, for vacuum flow of vapor displaced from the vehicle tank, said breakaway assembly disposed between a first segment of the hose attached to the dispenser unit and a second segment of the hose terminating in the nozzle,

said breakaway assembly comprising:

a first body portion adapted for attachment to the first segment of the hose and a second body portion adapted for attachment to the second segment of the hose,

said breakaway assembly having a first, assembled condition in which said first body portion and said second body portion are joined and together define a fuel conduit connecting the fuel conduit of the first hose segment with the fuel conduit of the second hose segment for flow of fuel through the breakaway assembly, and together define a vapor conduit connecting the vapor conduit of the first hose segment with the vapor conduit of the second hose segment for vacuum flow of vapor through the breakaway assembly, and said breakaway assembly having a second condition in which said first body portion and said second body portion are separated,

said breakaway assembly further comprising;

a first fuel valve and a first fuel valve seat, said first fuel valve mounted in said first body portion for movement between a first position, with said first fuel valve spaced from engagement with aid first fuel valve seat for permitting flow of fuel within said fuel conduit within said first body portion, and a second position, with said first fuel valve in engagement with said first fuel valve seat for restricting flow of fuel through said fuel conduit within said first body portion,

a second fuel valve and a second fuel valve seat, said second fuel valve mounted in said second body portion for movement between a first position, with said second fuel valve spaced from engagement with said second fuel valve seat for permitting flow of fuel within said fuel conduit within said second body portion, and a second position, with said second fuel valve in engagement with aid second fuel valve seat for restricting flow of fuel through said fuel conduit within said second body portion,

a vapor valve and a vapor valve seat, said vapor valve mounted in said first body portion for movement between a first position, with aid vapor valve spaced from engagement with said vapor valve seat for permitting vacuum flow of vapor within said vapor conduit within said first body portion, and a second position, with said vapor valve in engagement with said vapor valve seat for restricting vacuum flow through said vapor conduit within said first body portion, and

a securement element securing together said first body portion and said second body portion in said first condition, said securement element adapted to release engagement of said first body portion and said second body portion upon application of tension force to the hose, across said breakaway assembly, above a predetermined maximum level,

a first spring urging said first fuel valve toward said second position and a second spring urging said second fuel valve toward said second position, and, in said first condition of said breakaway assembly, said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve being urged toward said first positions, and

a vapor valve spring urging said vapor valve toward said second position and, in said first condition of said breakaway assembly, said vapor valve being urged toward said first position,

whereby, during normal operation, the first and second body portions are secured together by the securement element, and the first and second fuel valves and the vapor valve are all urged toward their respective first positions, and, upon application to the hose of tension above a predetermined maximum level, the securement element releases, allowing the first and second body portions to separate, and allowing the first and second fuel valves to move toward their second positions to cease flow of fuel from both body portions and further allowing the vapor valve to move toward its second position to cease vacuum flow through the first body portion.

2. The breakaway assembly of claim 1 wherein said securement element comprises a shear member, said shear member, in the first condition of said breakaway assembly, adapted to secure together said first and second body portions, and, upon application of tension force above said predetermined level, said shear member being adapted to shear to allow said first and second body portions to separate and the breakaway assembly to assume the second condition.

3. The breakaway assembly of claim 1 wherein said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve are mounted for axial movement.

4. The breakaway assembly of claim 1 wherein, in said first condition, said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve are disposed in engagement in a manner to mutually urge said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve toward said respective first (open) positions.

5. The breakaway assembly of claim 1 wherein said vapor valve is mounted for axial movement.

6. The breakaway assembly of claim 5 wherein, in said first condition, said vapor valve and said second fuel valve are disposed in engagement in a manner to mutually urge said vapor valve and second fuel valve toward said respective first (open) positions.

7. A fuel dispenser assembly comprising:

a fuel dispenser apparatus comprising a fuel dispenser unit, a coaxial hose connected thereto, and terminating in a fuel delivery nozzle, said hose defining a first, fuel conduit for delivery of fuel from said dispenser unit to said nozzle, for filling a vehicle tank, and a second, inner vapor conduit, coaxial with said first, outer fuel conduit, for vacuum flow of vapor displaced from the vehicle tank, and

a breakaway assembly disposed between a first segment of said hose attached to said dispenser unit and a second segment of said hose terminating in said nozzle,

said breakaway assembly comprising;

a first body portion adapted for attachment to said first segment to said hose and a second body portion adapted for attachment of said second segment of said hose,

said breakaway assembly having a first, assembled condition in which said first body portion and said second body portion are joined and together define a fuel conduit connecting said fuel conduit of said first hose segment with said fuel conduit of said second hose segment for flow of fuel through said breakaway assembly, and together define a vapor conduit connecting the vapor conduit of the first hose segment with the vapor conduit of the second hose segment for vacuum flow of vapor through the breakaway assembly, and said breakaway assembly having a second condition in which said first body portion and said second body portion are separated,

said breakaway assembly further comprising;

a first fuel valve and a first fuel valve seat, said first fuel valve mounted in said first body portion for movement between a first position, with said first fuel valve spaced from engagement with said first fuel valve seat for permitting flow of fuel within said fuel conduit within said first body portion, and a second position, with said first fuel valve in engagement with said first fuel valve seat for restricting flow of fuel through sad fuel conduit within said first body portion,

a second fuel valve and a second fuel valve seat, said second fuel valve mounted in said second body portion for movement between a first position, with said second fuel valve spaced from engagement with said second fuel valve seat for permitting flow of fuel within said fuel conduit within said second body portion, and a second position, with said second fuel valve in engagement with said second fuel valve seat for restricting flow of fuel through said fuel conduit within said second body portion,

a vapor valve and a vapor valve seat, said vapor valve mounted in said first body portion for movement between a first position, with said vapor valve spaced from engagement with said vapor valve seat for permitting vacuum flow of vapor within said vapor conduit within said first body portion, and a second position, with said vapor valve in engagement with said vapor valve seat for restricting vacuum flow through said vapor conduit within said first body portion, and

a securement element securing together with said first body portion and said second body portion in said first condition, said securement element adapted to release engagement of said first body portion and said second body portion upon application of tension force to said hose, across said breakaway assembly, above a predetermined maximum level,

a first spring urging said first fuel valve toward said second position and a second spring urging said second fuel valve toward said second position, and, in said first condition of said breakaway assembly, said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve being urged toward said first positions, and

a vapor valve spring urging said vapor valve toward said second position and, in said first condition of said breakaway assembly, said vapor valve being urged toward said first position,

whereby, during normal operation, the first and second body portions are secured together by the securement element, and the first and second fuel valves and the vapor valve are all urged toward their respective first positions, and, upon application to the hose of tension above a predetermined maximum level, the securement element releases, allowing the first and second body portions to separate, and allowing the first and second fuel valves to move toward their second positions to cease flow of fuel from both body portions and further allowing the vapor valve to move toward its second position to cease vacuum flow through the first body portion.

8. The fuel dispenser assembly of claim 7 wherein said securement element comprises a shear member, said shear member, in the first condition of said breakaway assembly, adapted to secure together said first and second body portions, and, upon application of tension force above said predetermined level, said shear member being adapted to shear to allow said first and second body portions to separate and the breakaway assembly to assume the second condition.

9. The fuel dispenser assembly of claim 7 wherein said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve are mounted for axial movement.

10. The fuel dispenser assembly of claim 7 wherein, in said first condition, said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve are disposed in engagement in a manner to mutually urge said first fuel valve and said second fuel valve toward said respective first (open) positions.

11. The fuel dispenser assembly of claim 9 wherein said vapor valve is mounted for axial movement.

12. The fuel dispenser assembly of claim 11 wherein, in said first condition, said vapor valve and said second fuel valve are disposed in engagement in a manner to mutually urge said vapor valve and second fuel valve toward said respective first (open) positions.