CALIBREUR SANS-VAPEUR

CALIBRATOR FOR FUEL PUMP

Abrégé français

The inventive device comprises scaled vessels mounted on a vehicle and making it possible, while filling a liquid medium in the vessels, to recycle the vapors thereof through a circuit of casings beginning form the reading sights of the vessels and extending to an air-vent pipe provided with a removable valve, wherein the bottom of each vessel is embodied such that it is inclined and is followed by a valve, a transparent dripping reference unit and a second valve open into a common tube and ending by an ultimate valve.

Abrégé anglais

La présente invention porte sur des récipients étalonnés montés sur un véhicule et permettant, tout en remplissant un support liquide dans les récipients, de recycler les vapeurs de celui-ci dans un circuit de carters en commençant par lire les visées des récipients et se prolongeant à une conduite de ventilation d'air fournie avec une soupape amovible, où la partie inférieure de chaque récipient est placées de manière à être inclinées et est suivie par une soupape, une unité de référence d'égouttage transparentes et une deuxième soupape ouverte dans une tube commun et se prolongeant par une soupape de sortie.

Revendications

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CLAIMS:


1. A calibrator for calibrating a fuel pump, comprising:
at least one graduated tank, mounted on a levelable vehicle, the at least one
graduated tank having sloped bottom and a neck for receiving a fuel station
fuel pump
nozzle;
a fume recycling circuit coupled to the neck to recycle fumes during filling
and also
coupled to a ventilation pipe;
a level indicator to measure liquid level in the at least one graduated tank;
at least one tank valve coupled to the bottom of the at least one graduated
tank;
a transparent drip reference unit coupled to the at least one tank valve, for
allowing a user to view flow of fuel through the transparent drip reference
unit; and
a discharge valve coupled to the transparent drip reference unit and coupled
to a
common pipe ending with an exit valve, the exit valve for coupling to a
discharge hose for
discharging measured fuel back into a fuel station storage tank.


2. A method of calibrating a fuel pump, using a calibrator comprising at least
one graduated
tank, mounted on a levelable vehicle, at least one graduated tank having a
sloped bottom
and a neck for receiving a fuel station fuel pump nozzle, a fume recycling
circuit coupled to
the neck to recycle fumes during filling and also coupled to a ventilation
pipe, a level indicator
to measure liquid level in the at least one graduated tank, at least one tank
valve coupled to
the bottom of the at least one graduated tank, a transparent drip reference
unit coupled to
the at least one tank valve, for allowing a user to view flow of fuel through
the transparent
drip reference unit, and a discharge valve coupled to the transparent drip
reference unit and
coupled to a common pipe ending with an exit valve, the exit valve for
coupling to a
discharge hose for discharging measured fuel back into a fuel station storage
tank, the
method comprising the steps of:
a. parking the calibrator near the fuel pump,
b. leveling the calibrator using a leveler mounted to the calibrator,
c. grounding the calibrator to the fuel pump,
d. coupling a fuel return hose between the exit valve and a fuel station
storage tank,
e. filling the at least one graduated tank by inserting the fuel pump nozzle
in the neck
of the at least one graduated tank, wherein the neck seals fuel fumes when the
neck makes
contact with the fuel pump nozzle,




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f. taking a reading of the fuel level in the at least one graduated tank after
dispensing
a measured amount of fuel, into the at least one graduated tank,
g. noting the reading by turning a pre-marked recall set-up,
h. opening the at least one tank valve, the discharge valve and the exit valve
to empty
out the at least one graduated tank,
i. adjusting calibration of the fuel pump if required,
j. closing the discharge valve when the at least one graduated tank is empty,
k. ensuring that the at least one graduated tank is truly empty before closing
the at
least one tank valve, by observing the final drops of liquid dripping down
through the
transparent drip reference unit, and
l. repeating the calibration test as required.


3. A calibration apparatus for calibrating a gas station fuel dispensing pump,
the calibration
apparatus comprising:
at least one graduated tank having a sealing neck for receiving a fuel station
fuel
pump nozzle and a sloped bottom;
a graduation portion on the neck of the at least one graduated tank, for
indicating
when a standard quantity of fuel has been inserted into the at least one
graduated tank;
a fume recycling circuit coupled to the neck of the at least one tank to
recycle fumes
during filling;
at least one tank valve coupled to the bottom of the at least one graduated
tank;
a transparent drip reference unit coupled to the at least one tank valve, for
allowing a
user to view flow of fuel through the transparent drip reference unit; and
a discharge valve coupled to the transparent drip reference unit and coupled
to a
common pipe ending with an exit valve, the exit valve for coupling to a
discharge hose for
discharging measured fuel back into a fuel station storage tank.


4. The calibration apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one graduated
tank is mounted
on a wheeled vehicle so as to be readily moved into position near the fuel
dispensing pump,
the wheeled vehicle comprising:
a lever for raising wheels of the wheeled vehicle off the ground; and
a two-axis leveling apparatus to level the calibration apparatus prior to use.


5. The calibration apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fume recycling unit
further includes a
removable exhaust valve to exhaust fumes after testing is completed.




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6. The calibrator of claim 1, wherein the fume recycling circuit further
includes a removable
exhaust valve to exhaust fumes after testing is completed.


7. The method of calibrating of claim 2, wherein the fume recycling circuit
further includes a
removable exhaust valve to exhaust fumes after testing is completed.


8. The method of calibrating of claim 2, wherein the levelable vehicle
includes a plurality of
wheels for moving the levelable vehicle, and said step of parking the
calibrator near the fuel
pump further comprises the step of retracting the plurality wheels.

Description

CA 02463477 2011-08-05

1
CALIBRATOR FOR FUEL PUMP
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a liquid measurement device for use in, but
not limited to,
the measuring and calibrating of liquid flowmeters, mostly for petroleum
liquids. In particular,
the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for calibrating
petroleum fuel meters
("gas pumps"), such as at gas stations and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For petroleum products sold in the retail sector, the method currently used to
calibrate
meters is dangerous and outdated. In the Prior Art, for each meter, the
technician performs
the following steps:
1. Place the calibration tank on the ground;
2. Fill the calibration tank with the fuel nozzle of a gas pump;
3. Kneel and take the measurement of the level of the liquid;
4. Write the measurement down;
5. Empty the calibration tank making sure it is truly empty, for the next
filling (the
technician must not see any drops dripping down for a certain amount of time);
6. Adjust the calibration of the meter; and
7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 until the calibration is adequate.

During the whole process, spills, fumes and damage are inevitable and the
technician is
constantly exposed to fumes. Accidents are frequent.

The main inconvenience is the need to wait until the last drops have fallen
during the
emptying of the tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a calibrator for liquid-flow meters, which is
used to calibrate
liquid-flow meters, mostly for petroleum liquids. The present invention makes
the calibration
operation safe, and it also protects the operator, the public, and the
environment. It may also
be used advantageously for the measurement of any liquid with the appropriate
viscosity.


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In the present invention, certain quantity of liquid goes through one tank,
with other tanks
being arranged in series, allowing accelerated calibration of retail petroleum
products.

The calibrator is made of one or several graduated tanks containing 20 liters
each, (or other
measurement units depending on the country or requirements), mounted on a
vehicle.
Reading the meter is easy, precise, and ergonomic.

Fumes from the calibration process are recycled.

In the present invention, each of the tanks has a sloped bottom (40 degrees or
so), followed
by a valve, a transparent dripping reference unit and a second valve attached
to a common
pipe (sloped) and ending with an ultimate valve. The piping is preferably made
of stainless
steel.

The transparent drip reference unit is provided to allow the user to see that
all fluid has been
drained from the tank(s) prior to refilling.

This particular arrangement allows liquid circulation in a closed circuit,
eliminating handling
spills, loss of liquid, and escaping fumes

The invention allows the liquid to return without fumes or turbulence, making
the calibration
100% safe. Therefore, the present invention helps eliminate fumes, spills, and
splashes,
during both the filling and the emptying of the tanks. The technician will not
have to
repeatedly pour the liquids from the test-tank to underground tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side view of a calibrator for calibrating a fuel pump, according
to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, calibrator 1 is a machine used to calibrate petroleum
liquid-flow meters. It
can also be used for any liquid with adequate viscosity.


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Calibrator 1 comprises of one or several stainless steel graduated tanks 2
mounted on a
levelable vehicle 18. When filling, fumes are recycled by way of hose 3 coming
from the top
of the necks of tanks 2 and ending in ventilation pipe 16 equipped with
removable exhaust
valve 17 on top. Each of tanks 2 has a sloped bottom, at roughly a 40 degree
angle, followed
by valve 15, transparent drip reference unit 5 and another valve 14 leading to
common pipe
19 and exit valve 13. The piping is made of stainless steel. When emptying the
apparatus,
the fumes are also recycled. The whole emptying process is done in a closed
circuit without
turbulence and without fumes.

The transparent dripping reference unit 5 makes calibration work safer by
allowing the user
to view the flow of fuel through the apparatus and know when the flow has
stopped.

To calibrate with the invention, the technician takes the following steps:
1. Park the calibrator near the fuel pump.
2. Use the lever 6 to lift the wheels off the ground.
3. Ground the calibrator to the pump, with conductor with alligator clip 7.
4. Install a gasoline return hose (not shown) between final exit pipe 8 and
the gas
station's underground tank.
5. Open exit valve 13
6. Fill tanks 2, one at a time, by inserting the gas pump nozzle into neck 9
of one of
tanks 2. Neck 9 traps the fumes, as the opening of neck 9 is lined with a
rubber gasket which
is in contact with the nozzle.
7. Adjust the two levels 10 to both axes with the two handles 11 to level the
unit.
8. Take the readings while standing up using calibrated scale 4.
9. Note the readings by turning the round pre-marked recall set-up 12.
10. Open the valves 13, 14, and finally 15, to empty out the tanks.
11. Adjust the meters of the pump, if need be.
12. Close valve 14 as soon as the tanks are empty.
13. Make sure the tanks are truly empty before closing valve 15, by observing
the last
drops of liquid dripping down, through the transparent drip reference unit 5.
14. Proceed with new test as required.

While the preferred embodiment and various alternative embodiments of the
invention have
been disclosed and described in detail herein, it may be apparent to those
skilled in the art
that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing
from the spirit
and scope thereof.

Dessin représentatif