Refueling assembly having a check valve receptacle and a replaceable fuel receiver for bottom-filled fuel tanks

Abstract

A fuel receiver assembly, that permits replacement of a worn fuel receiver without draining the fuel tank, includes a check valve receptacle having a male-pipe-threaded nipple which engages the female-threaded pipe coupling of the fuel tank. The check valve receptacle has a spring-biased, normally closed check valve that prevents fuel from escaping from the fuel tank. Fuel pressure from the refueling pump opens the normally-closed check valve. The check valve receptacle is designed to be a relatively permanent installation in the fuel tank, having ultra-low-wear components. The check valve receptacle also has a female-threaded socket that is coaxial with the male-pipe-threaded nipple. A specially-designed male-threaded fuel receiver engages the female-threaded socket. Sealing between the check valve receptacle and the replaceable fuel receiver is accomplished by an O-ring seal installed on the fuel receiver.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly comprising:
 an enclosed tank having a threaded coupling sealably installed at or near the bottom thereof, said coupling having an opening in communication with a fillable interior volume of the tank;   a quantity of fuel at least partially filling said tank;   a fuel receiver and check valve assembly having:
 a check valve body having a flow-through chamber, an entrance end, and an exit end threaded to engage the threaded coupling; 
 a spring-loaded, normally-closed valve that blocks said flow-through chamber when closed, thereby being subjected to gravity-generated pressure from said quantity of fuel, and that opens said flow-through chamber during tank filling operations; 
 a fuel receiver body having a generally tubular chamber, said generally tubular chamber having an entrance end that is couplable to a fuel nozzle, and an exit end that engages the entrance end of said check valve body; and 
   a normally-closed, spring-biased valve plug that seals the entrance end of said generally tubular chamber, said valve plug being opened by the engagement of a fuel nozzle.   
   
   
       22 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the entrance end of said check valve body is a threaded socket, said fuel receiver body has an annular circumferential shoulder near said exit end, and said fuel receiver and check valve assembly further comprises an annular securing nut that bears against said annular circumferential shoulder an engages the threaded socket so as to couple the fuel receiver body to the check valve body. 
   
   
       23 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 21 , wherein said spring-loaded, normally-closed valve is a poppet valve that is opened by a build-up of fuel pressure within the flow-through chamber, said poppet valve having a check valve poppet that, when the poppet valve is closed, is positioned within the check valve body, said poppet valve also having a seal that is secured to an outer end of said check valve poppet, and which seals the exit opening of said flow-through chamber when the poppet valve is closed, said poppet valve being biased to a closed position by a spring that is located entirely within said flow-through chamber, surrounds a major portion of said check valve poppet, and is compressed between an internal flange adjacent the exit end of said flow-through chamber and an inner end of said check valve poppet. 
   
   
       24 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 21 , wherein a joint between the fuel receiver body and the check valve body is sealed with an O-ring that installs within an O-ring groove radially positioned on the exterior of the fuel receiver body, said O-ring being compressed by an interior cylindrical sealing surface within the check valve body. 
   
   
       25 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said annular securing nut and said check valve body is each equipped with a wrench-engaging periphery. 
   
   
       26 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 25 , wherein each wrench-engaging periphery is generally hexagonally shaped. 
   
   
       27 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the coil spring which biases the valve plug is at all times positioned entirely within said fuel receiver body, and is compressed between an inner end of said valve plug and a snap ring installed within a snap ring groove located adjacent the exit end of said fuel receiver body. 
   
   
       28 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 21 , wherein said check valve retains any fuel present in said fuel tank when said fuel receiver is removed from said assembly. 
   
   
       29 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 28 , wherein fuel can be drained from the fuel tank when the fuel receiver is removed from said assembly by installing a check valve drain insert within the female-threaded socket of said check valve body, said check valve drain insert having a nose that urges open the spring-loaded, normally-closed valve of the check valve. 
   
   
       30 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 22 , which further comprises a check valve engagement rod that mechanically couples said valve plug to said normally closed valve, so that when the former is urged to an open position, the latter is also. 
   
   
       31 . A liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly comprising:
 an enclosed tank having a threaded coupling sealably installed at or near the bottom thereof, said coupling having an opening in communication with a fillable interior volume of the tank;   a quantity of fuel at least partially filling said tank;   a check valve assembly having:
 a check valve body having a flow-through chamber with an entrance couplable to a fuel receiver that is adapted to receive a fueling nozzle and exit end having external threads sized to engage the threaded coupling; and 
 a spring-loaded, normally-closed check valve that blocks said flow-through chamber, said normally-closed check valve being subjected to gravity-generated pressure from said quantity of fuel, said normally-closed check valve opening in response to pressurized fuel provided by a fuel nozzle. 
   
   
   
       32 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 31 , wherein said spring-loaded, normally-closed valve is a poppet valve that is opened by a build-up of fuel pressure within the flow-through chamber, said poppet valve having a check valve poppet that, when the poppet valve is closed, is positioned within the check valve body, said poppet valve also having a seal that is secured to an outer end of said check valve poppet, and which seals the exit opening of said flow-through chamber when the poppet valve is closed, said poppet valve being biased to a closed position by a spring that is located entirely within said flow-through chamber, surrounds a major portion of said check valve poppet, and is compressed between an internal flange adjacent the exit end of said flow-through chamber and an inner end of said check valve poppet. 
   
   
       33 . The liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 32 , wherein said check valve body is equipped with a wrench-engaging periphery so that said check valve body may be tightened in said threaded coupling. 
   
   
       34 . In combination with the liquid fuel storage reservoir assembly of  claim 31 , a fuel receiver assembly which can be coupled to a conventional fuel nozzle, said fuel receiver comprising:
 a fuel receiver body having a generally tubular chamber open at both entrance and exit ends, the entrance end of said tubular chamber having a conical portion expansive toward the tubular chamber exit end, the exit end of said tubular chamber being sealably couplable to the entrance end of said check valve body;   a spring-loaded valve plug having an operculum seal operating to seal said conical portion of said generally tubular chamber when no fuel nozzle is coupled to the fuel receiver.   
   
   
       35 . The combination of  claim 34 , wherein the entrance end of said check valve body incorporates a female-threaded socket, said fuel receiver body has an annular circumferential shoulder near said exit end, and said fuel receiver assembly further comprises an annular securing nut that bears against said annular circumferential shoulder an engages the female-threaded socket so as to couple the fuel receiver body to the check valve body. 
   
   
       36 . The combination of  claim 35 , wherein a joint between the fuel receiver body and the check valve body is sealed with an O-ring that installs within an O-ring groove radially positioned on the exterior of the fuel receiver body, said O-ring being compressed by an interior cylindrical sealing surface within the check valve body. 
   
   
       37 . The combination of  claim 34 , wherein the coil spring which biases the valve plug and operculum seal is at all times positioned entirely within said fuel receiver body, and is compressed between an inner end of said valve plug and a snap ring installed within a snap ring groove located adjacent the exit end of said fuel receiver body. 
   
   
       38 . The combination of  claim 34 , which further comprises a check valve engagement rod that mechanically couples said valve plug to said normally closed valve, so that when the former is urged to an open position, the latter is also. 
   
   
       39 . In combination with the check valve assembly of  claim 31 , a check valve drain insert which can be installed within the entrance end of said check valve body, said check valve drain insert having a nose that urges open the spring-loaded, normally-closed valve of the check valve, thereby permitting the draining of the fuel tank. 
   
   
       40 . The combination of  claim 39 , wherein the entrance end of said check valve body and the check valve drain insert are equipped with mating threads for mutual engagement, and said check valve drain insert is equipped with a wrench-engaging periphery for securing the engagement.