Gasoline Spill Preventing Apparatus

Various overflow tanks and auxiliary holding tank systems are well known in the prior art and examples of these are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,610,220; 3,520,329; 3,207,203; 3,129,747 and 1,732,505. However, none disclose a system adaptable to the problem of gasoline spillage or overflow at the fill situs of underground storage tanks at typical automobile service stations. Present filling methods involve parking a transport vehicle adjacent the fill pipe of an underground storage tank, attaching the transport vehicle's flexible hose (connected to the transport tank through a valve at a control panel on the transport vehicle) to a fitting at the accessible, ground level, upper end of the underground storage tank fill pipe. The vehicle mounted valve is then opened and the storage tank is filled. When the storage tank has been filled, the valve is closed and the hose is disconnected from the fill pipe. The gasoline filling the hose spills and runs off into the area around the fill pipe. Further, since the fill pipe is full, there is spillage at the fill pipe as the hose is disconnected and the fill pipe cap is reinstalled. Deliveries to such storage tanks are made weekly, or more often if necessary, and the accumulation of spilled gasoline disperses through the sand conventionally used as a backfull for buried storage tanks. The accumulated spillage may then be carried away by subsurface water movement to contaminate sewers and basements and is an obvious hazard.

The apparatus of the present invention provides a means for retaining the gasoline filling the delivery hose by directing it to a dump tank which is automatically drained into the storage tank as gasoline is pumped therefrom in normal service station operation.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention, installed on a typical underground gasoline service facility.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the check valve component of the apparatus.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown at 10 a conventional, large, transport trailer delivering gasoline to an underground storage tank 11 by means of a flexible hose 12, flow through the hose being controlled by a valve schematically shown at 13 and located at a panel adjacent the attachment fitting for the hose. The tank 11 is provided with a venting stand pipe 14 and a delivery pipe 16 which extends to service station pumps 17 located at the station's service islands. The structure so far described will be recognized as conventional.

The apparatus of the present invention replaces the conventional fill pipe, at the tank 11, and receives the outer end of the hose 12 when the storage tank is to be filled. The apparatus includes the vertically disposed intake pipe 18 which extends centrally through a cylindrical dump tank 19, shown in detail in FIG. 2. The tank 19 has a suitable volumetric capacity, twenty-one gallons being a preferred size. The upper portion of the pipe 18 is connected, by means of a pipe or conduit 21, to the interior of tank 19 at its top wall. A manually operated, on-off valve 22 is interposed in conduit 21 and is closed during the filling of tank 11. Valve 22 is preferrably a conventional butterfly-type valve such as a resilient seat, Series A valve manufactured by Center Line, Inc. of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the valve 22 is operated by handle 22a which rotates the valve stem through its 90.degree. range of movement.

A pipe or conduit 26 extends between the base of the tank 19 and the lower portion of pipe 18. The conduit 26 has a lateral connection to a check valve assembly 27, shown in detail in FIG. 3. The valve assembly includes a tubular outer housing 29 having a closed lower end and is welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the tank 19. The pipe 26 communicates with the interior of the housing 29. Extending concentrically within the housing is an inner tubular member 31 which, at its upper end, has threaded engagement with outer housing 29. Upwardly extending lugs 31a on the tube 31 permit removal of the tube 31 vertically from within the tank 19.

The tube 31 encircles an outlet aperture 32 in the base of the dump tank and flow through this aperture is controlled by cooperation of the spherical float or ball element 33 with the downwardly facing valve seat 34. A brass rod 36 extends diametrically across the tube 31 and retains the ball 33 within the tube. The assembly operates as a caged ball check valve and movement of liquid through line 26 toward the tank 19, during the filling of tank 11, is prevented by engagement of float 33 with its annular seat 34. Liquid flow from tank 19, through outlet aperture 32 to the pipe 26, is unimpeded since ball 33, under this condition, is driven off its seat 34.

As may best be seen in FIG. 2, a sealed, but removable access hatch 41 is provided in the top wall of tank 19 and the hatch is vertically aligned with the check valve assembly 27. Upon removal of hatch cover 41a, a tool may be inserted which cooperates with lugs 31a (FIG. 3) to rotate the tube 31 permitting removal of the caged ball assembly through the access hatch for repair or replacement.

In operation, the transport tank delivery nozzle is attached to pipe 18 and filling of the storage tank proceeds. During the filling operation valve 22 remains closed and, since check valve 27 prevents upward flow, the dump tank 19 remains empty. At the end of the filling operation the tank 11, the pipe 18 (which replaces the conventional fill pipe) and the hose 12 are all full of gasoline. The operator closes valve 13 at the tank but before removing the hose 12, opens valve 22. The hose and the portion of the pipe 18 above pipe 21 thereupon drain into the dump tank 18. The gasoline in the hose and fill pipe is thus prevented from spilling into the tank backfill or the area adjacent the hose attachment. Subsequently, as gasoline is pumped from tank 11 to the service islands the liquid level in tank 11 will fall and tank 19 will automatically empty through check valve 27. Preparation of the storage tank for refilling requires only the reclosure of valve 22.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.