Loading arm

Abstract: A loading bay for filling the compartments of a vehicle with liquid fuel has a loading arm for each tank compartment. Each loading arm includes a nozzle and a solenoid operated shutoff valve for controlling the flow of liquid fuel through the nozzle, and is associated with a corresponding overfill protection device which is arranged to operate the shutoff device to prevent flow of liquid fuel through the nozzle when the level of liquid in the corresponding tank compartment reaches a predetermined maximum level. The overfill protection device has a normally open electric switch in series with a normally closed pressure operated electric switch and another normally open electric switch mounted on the loading arm. The normally closed pressure operated switch is positioned at one end of a tube which depends into the tank compartment with the other end open and lowermost when the overfill protection device is mounted on the tank vehicle during filling of the tank compartment and the two normally open switches are closed when the loading arm and the associated overfill protection device are positioned for a filling operation. The arrangement is such that liquid fuel is supplied to the tank compartment through the nozzle only when all three switches are closed and the action of liquid fuel in the tank compartment rising to the predetermined maximum level increases the pressure in the tube until the normally closed pressure operated switch is opened. The electric circuits including the switches of each overfill protection device and controlling the operation of the corresponding solenoid-operated shutoff valves are connected electrically in parallel so that operation of one overfill protection device to prevent the supply of further liquid fuel to the corresponding tank compartment has no influence on the supply of liquid fuel to the other tank compartments.

Abstract: This invention provides for a loading arm for use with material handling systems and includes a support structure and an arm pivotally attached to the support structure for swivel movement in both the horizontal and vertical plane relative to the support structure. There is also provided a balancing system for balancing the swivel arm relative to the support structure which includes a coil spring having a pre-determined length, a housing enclosing the coil spring, a first end of the housing having a structure for engaging a first coil end of the coil spring and an adjustment device for positioning that first coil end in infinitely small increments along a generally circular path which is radially disposed from the center line of the spring, a second end of the housing having another groove for engaging a second coil end of the spring, a linkage arm attached at one end to the swivel arm and at its other end to the second end such that movement of the swivel arm in the vertical plane will cause the second coil end to move along a generally circular path radially disposed from the centerline of the spring. The system also includes a mounting structure for attaching the balancing system to the loading arm and the horizontal swivel.

Abstract: A spring tension assembly, which includes a support member for attaching an adjustment assembly to the loading arm. The adjustment assembly can be mounted adjacent the first end of the support member and preferably is configured for engaging the first end of the spring. The adjustment assembly preferably comprises at least two rotatable gears having an interlocked meshed arrangement. An arm assembly can be mounted adjacent the second end of the support member, and configured for engaging the second or other end of the spring. A link arm can have one end attached to the arm assembly and a second end attached to the loading arm.