Anti-siphoning device, particularly for preventing the extraction of fuel from tanks

Abstract

An anti-siphoning device, particularly for preventing the extraction of fuel from tanks, the anti-siphoning device includes a ring provided with an axial tube and with which an additional ring is associable which is coupled to the tank. The device further includes the first end of a duct which protrudes within the tank associated rotatably with the axial tube and is provided, axially and at the second end, with an ogive which is adapted to guide and direct the flow of the fuel according to a fluid stream. Elements are further provided for spacing apart the ogive from the inner lateral surface of the duct.

Claims

1. An anti-siphoning device comprising a first ring, and a second ring, the second ring being provided with an axial tube and with which a third ring is associable and coupled to a tank, wherein a first end of a duct protrudes within the tank is associated rotatably with said axial tube and is provided, axially and at a second end, with an ogive adapted to guide and direct the flow of fuel according to a fluid stream, means being provided for spacing apart said ogive from an inner lateral surface of said duct.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first ring is annular and perforated axially and is associated with said second ring, or rendered integral so as to constitute a single element, which is substantially T-shaped, perforated axially, and provided with a first head from the perimetric rim of which a wall and said axial tube protrude, on the opposite side with respect to said first ring, said third ring, which is T-shaped, being associated with said second ring and comprising a second head associated internally with said wall and an externally threaded stem arranged concentrically and externally to said axial tube, wherein the first end of a duct protrudes with its second end within the tank is arranged and is associated rotatably inside said axial tube.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said duct is substantially cylindrical and in that at an outer lateral surface of said first end there is a plurality of axial slots adapted to allow the venting of the air from the tank, at said first end there being, along the same transverse axis, a pair of first holes, at the end of said axial tube there being a pair of second holes provided along the same transverse axis.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein once said duct has been positioned with respect to said axial tube, said pair of first holes and second holes are mutually axially aligned so as to allow placement of a pair of pivots which allow the free and rotatable connection of said duct to said axial tube.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein inside said duct there is, between said first and second ends, a step which constitutes an abutment for the end of a dispensing duct of a nozzle once it is arranged inside said device.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a maximum angle of inclination of said duct entails the possibility, once said dispensing duct of said nozzle has been inserted in said device, that said dispensing duct is arranged in abutment on said step, said duct and said dispensing duct remaining substantially mutually axially aligned.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ogive is associated inside said second end of said duct and adapted to guide and direct the flow of fuel according to a fluid stream, a cross-section of said inner lateral surface of said second end being slightly curved.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said ogive is provided in a lower region with means adapted to space the ogive apart from the inner lateral surface of said duct and are adapted to prevent the insertion of tubes to draw fuel, said means being constituted by a flat spring folded in a zigzag arrangement and is then wound at an annular slot provided in a lower region with respect to said ogive and abuts against said inner lateral surface.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein a supporting and containment dome for said spring is detachably associable with said second end of said duct and in that a gasket is associated coaxially with said stem of said third ring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will become better apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of the device according to the disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view from above of the device with the ogive in axial alignment with the duct;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view from above of the device with the duct rotated with respect to the assembly of rings;

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the device respectively taken along the lines VI-VI and VII-VII in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the device;

(9) FIGS. 9 and 10 show the device with the nozzle inserted in two different configurations for the tank; and

(10) FIG. 11 shows the spring in an extended condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(11) In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

(12) With reference to FIGS. 1-11, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a anti-siphoning device, particularly for preventing the extraction of fuel from tanks 2 of vehicles of the type with a vertical or oblique connector.

(13) Usually the tanks 2 are positioned below the loading surface 3 of the vehicle at a preset distance H from the device 1 which is further positioned inward with respect to the overlying loading surface 3, for its better protection.

(14) The device 1 comprises a first ring 4, which is usually used as an interconnection element with a cap. In the specific embodiment shown, this is annular and is perforated axially; it is associated, or rendered integral so as to constitute a single element, with an underlying second ring 5, which is substantially T-shaped, perforated axially and provided with a first head 6 from the perimetric rim of which a wall 7 and an axial tube 8 protrude, on the opposite side with respect to the first ring 4.

(15) The first ring 4 may be substituted by a cap or by a valve or by any other means adapted to close the entry port of the device 1.

(16) A T-shaped third ring 9 is associated with the second ring 5 and comprises thus a second head 10 which can be associated, for example by screwing or by fixing in a bayonet-like manner, internally with the wall 7, and a stem 11 which is provided externally with means for fixing to the inlet of a tank, such as for example a threading or a bayonet, and which is arranged concentrically and externally to the axial tube 8.

(17) The stem 11 can be externally shaped according to the desired type of tank inlet for which it will be designed.

(18) The third ring 9 is kept associated with the second ring 5 by way of a retaining ring or C-clip 12 in elastic steel.

(19) The set of the first ring 4, second ring 5 and third ring 9 can thus be coupled to the tank 2.

(20) Concentrically to and inside the axial tube 8, the first end 13 of a duct 14, which protrudes with its second end 15 within the tank 2, can be arranged and associated rotatably.

(21) The duct 14 is substantially cylindrical and a plurality of axial slots 16, which are adapted to allow the venting of the air from the tank 2, are provided at the outer lateral surface of the first end 13.

(22) At the first end 13 of the duct 14 there is, along the same transverse axis, a pair of first holes 17a, 17b.

(23) At the end tip of the axial tube 8 there is, along the same transverse axis, a pair of second holes 18a, 18b.

(24) Once the duct 14 has been positioned with respect to the axial tube 8, the pair of first and second holes 7a, 17b, 18a, 18b are mutually axially aligned so as to allow the placement of a pair of pivots 19a, 19b which allow the rotatable connection of the duct 14 to the axial tube 8.

(25) The duct 14 can thus oscillate with respect to the axial tube 8, as illustrated in FIG. 6, by a desired angle.

(26) Inside the duct 14 there is, between the first and second ends 13, 15, a step 20 which constitutes an abutment for the end of the dispensing duct 21 of a nozzle 22 once it is arranged inside the device 1.

(27) In particular, the maximum angle of inclination entails the possibility, once the dispensing duct 21 of the nozzle 22 has been inserted in the device 1, that the dispensing duct 21 be arranged in abutment on the step 20, the duct 14 and the dispensing duct 21 remaining substantially mutually axially aligned.

(28) An ogive 23 is associated inside the second end 15 of the duct 14 and is adapted to guide and direct the flow of the fuel according to a fluid stream.

(29) To this end the cross-section of the inner lateral surface of the second end 15 of the duct 14 is slightly curved.

(30) The ogive 23 is provided in a downward region with means which are adapted to space the ogive 23 apart from the inner lateral surface 24 of the duct 14 and which are adapted to prevent the insertion of tubes to draw fuel; the means are constituted by a flat spring 25 which is folded in a zigzag arrangement and is then wound at an annular slot 26 which is provided in a downward region with respect to the ogive 23 and abuts against the inner lateral surface 24.

(31) Advantageously, in order to allow the maintenance of the spring 25 if desired, the second end 15 of the duct 14 is detachably associable with a dome 27 for supporting and containing the spring 25.

(32) Finally, a gasket 28 can be associated coaxially with the stem 11 of the third ring 9.

(33) Use of the disclosure is thus the following: when the dispensing duct 21 of the nozzle 22 is inserted in the device 1, a condition of axial alignment can be maintained between the dispensing duct 21 and the duct 14 with the latter arranged in abutment on the step 20, and this in order to enable an optimal dispensing of the fuel.

(34) Thanks to the inclination that the duct 14 can assume with respect to the first ring 4, second ring 5 and third ring 9, such optimal positioning is achieved even if the height H between the loading surface 3 and the device 1 is lower than the height of the nozzle 22 once inserted in the device 1.

(35) Thus it has been found that the disclosure fully achieves the intended advantages by providing a device which makes it possible both to achieve an optimal and rapid dispensing of fuel and at the same time to prevent the drawing-off of fuel from the tank even in the condition where the tank is full.

(36) The disclosure is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations.

(37) Obviously, the materials used as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the disclosure may be more pertinent according to specific requirements.

(38) The various means of achieving certain different functions certainly need not coexist only in the embodiment shown, but may be present in many embodiments, even if they are not shown.

(39) The characteristics indicated above as advantageous, convenient or the like, may also be missing or be substituted by equivalent characteristics.