Liquid Supplying Apparatus

Abstract

A liquid-supplying apparatus including a card reader having a single card insertion opening connected to a plurality of liquid-supplying systems for varieties of liquid. The kinds and quantities of liquid are respectively read from cards put in and out of the card reader in sequence, stored in a memory circuit and used for supply of liquid in the predetermined quantity.

Description

This invention relates to a liquid-supplying apparatus which is controlled by discriminating cards, and more particularly to a liquid-supplying apparatus in which the quantities and the kinds of liquid such as fuel for supply are automatically controlled and supervised by a single card reader.

A conventional fuel-supplying apparatus having card readers for reading cards having codes for denoting the quantity of fuel to supply and other information data generally includes card readers respectively for the delivery systems for supplying different kinds of fuel. Provision of a card reader respectively in each fuel-supplying system however needs a great cost and space for the card readers and in addition labor of operating the card readers individually in separate positions in case simultaneous or continuous operation of all fuel-supplying systems being performed.

A primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide a liquid-supplying apparatus which removes the above disadvantages and is so constructed that a plurality of liquid-supplying systems are controlled by a single card reader.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid-supplying apparatus for controlling plural liquid supplying systems to make liquid supply simultaneously by a single card reader.

Other objects of the invention is to provide a liquid-supplying apparatus in use of a single card reader cooperating with a plurality of cards respectively having plural informations therein representing liquid quantity, kind etc. as predetermined for the liquid to be supplied.

Still other object of the invention is to provide a liquid-supplying apparatus in which a single card reader can successively read the codes on a plurality of cards consecutively put in and out of a single slot provided on the card reader and the thus read codes are memoried stored in respective liquid-supplying systems corresponding to the codes and serve for controlling operation.

These and other features and objects of the invention will become apparent with the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a fuel-supplying stage in a fuel-supplying apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment showing AND circuits and memory circuits in the fuel-supplying apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a relay in the circuit for supplying a predetermined quantity of fuel; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a circuit for prevention of an erroneous operation of the card reader.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a fuel-supplying apparatus for tank lorries is illustrated. In FIG. 1, a conduit pipe 10 is connected to a fuel reservoir (not shown) and extended to a location as predetermined. In the way of its extending on the ground the pipe 10 is provided with a pump 11, a flowmeter 12, and a fixed quantity valve 13. At the end of the pipe 10 is attached a swivel loading arm 14. There is provided a fuel-supplying stage 17 of a height that an operator can easily insert the loading arm 14 into a tank 16 of a tank lorry 15. A card reader 18 having a single card insertion slot 19 is mounted on the stage 17. From a ceiling 20 over the stage 17 is suspended a start switch 21 at a height free from obstacles during passing of the tank lorry 15 that the operator can efficiently operate the switch 21, which has a construction capable of preventing an explosion, fire and like accidents caused by sparks and excessive currents during its operation.

The flowmeter 12 has a signal emission part 22 which includes a flow quantity signal emitter for emitting electrical pulse signals proportional to the quantity of flow through the pipe 10, and a fixed quantity signal emitter which operates by delivery of a predetermined quantity such as 1 kl. or 2 kl. and the like. The said flow quantity signal emitter may either be of the microswitch type, contact type in use of reed switches, or noncontact type as of the photoelectric or high-frequency signal emission type. The said fixed quantity signal emitter may be of the construction having for example a notched disk and a microswitch which can emit a fixed quantity signal in each rotation of the notched disk. The fixed quantity valve 13 is provided with an electromagnetic solenoid 23 which is excited causing the valve 13 to open and is deenergized causing the valve 13 to close.

The first fuel-supplying system as herein provided includes the fuel reservoir, the pump 11, the flowmeter 12 with a signal emission part 22, the fixed quantity valve 13 which is opened or closed by an electromagnetic solenoid 23, and the loading arm 14. In the vicinity of the stage in parallel with the first fuel-supplying system are arranged second and third fuel-supplying systems for supplying the fuel of the kind different from that of the first system. Throughout the systems in the drawing identical parts are denoted by identical numerals with one dash (') and two dashes (") respectively. In the present embodiment are shown three fuel-supplying systems but the number of systems may be two or more than four if desired.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. The card reader 18 contains a card reader part 31 therein which consists of reader parts 31a and 31b for reading codes that a discrimination card 30 put in from its slot 19 may possess. The card 30 is made of, for example, nonmagnetic insulating material such as untransparent synthetic resin and has magnetic metal bits embedded in an arrangement as predetermined and forming codes corresponding to the quantity of fuel, and other magnetic metal bits embedded in an arrangement as predetermined and forming similarly codes corresponding to the kind of fuel as predetermined. The card 30 further may have other codes such as of the operator number or card number as the case may require.

The reader part 31 in the card reader 18 comprises the reader part 31a including reed switches arranged over the card 30 in positions corresponding to the magnetic metal bits representing the quantity of fuel and permanent magnets arranged below said card, and the reader part 31b including reed switches arranged over said card in positions corresponding to the magnetic metal bits representing the kind of fuel and permanent magnets arranged below said card. The above-described reed switches are interrupted of magnetic fluxes emitted from magnets, opened or closed when the metal bits of the card are provided between corresponding permanent magnets. Thus, according to opening or closing of said each reed switch the reader parts 31a and 31b will read the codes of fuel quantity and kind respectively. The reader part 31 is not confined only to the type as mentioned above but it may be for example of a high-frequency oscillation type in which high-frequency magnetic fields are modulated or oscillations of oscillatory coils are stopped by shielding of the metal bits of the card.

The code of fuel quantity and that of fuel kind being respectively read by the reader parts 31a and 31b are fed respectively to fuel kind discriminating circuits 32, 32' and 32". The fuel quantity codes may be represented by combination of numerals such as 1, 2, 4 and 8 and the fuel kind codes shown by alphabets, for example, A, B and C since according to the present embodiment the fuel-supplying systems are three in the number. As shown in FIG. 3, signals representing such as 1, 2, 4 and 8 and A, B and C are fed to AND-circuits 33a-33d, 33a'-33d', and 33a"-33d" in the discriminating circuits 32, 32' and 32". The outputs of respective AND-circuits 33a-33d, 33a'-33d', and 33a"-33d" are fed respectively to flip-flop circuits 35a-35d, 35a'-35d', and 35a"-35d" of memory circuits 34, 34' and 34", the output of said respective flip-flop circuits is respectively fed to binary-to-decimal conversion circuits 36, 36' and 36".

Now referring back to FIG. 2, the flow quantity signals emitted from the flow quantity emitters 22a-22a"of the signal emission parts 22-22" provided at the flowmeters 12-12" respectively corresponding to the flow quantity of fuel flowing through the pipes 10-10" are counted respectively by counter circuits 37-37". The results of counting are respectively fed to binary-to-decimal conversion circuits 38-38". The outputs of the binary-to-decimal code conversion circuits 36-36" and 38-38" are fed respectively to comparator 39-39", which will emit interlocking signals or coincidence signals when the outputs of the respective conversion circuits 36-36" and 38-38" are in coincidence and will actuate relay circuits 40-40". The relay circuit 40 has a normally closed relay switch X.sub.1 as shown in FIG. 4, which is opened by a signal from the relay circuit 40. The switch X.sub.1 is closed when the reset signal applied manually or associated with a printout signal of a printer from a terminal 41 is respectively fed to the memory circuits 34-34" and the counter circuits 37-37" and these circuits are reset.

In FIG. 4, a relay exciting coil R which is serially connected to the switch X.sub.1 has normally opened relay switches R.sub.1 and R.sub.2. Between power source terminals 42a and 42b are serially connected the relay switch R.sub.2 and the electromagnetic solenoid 23 for the fixed quantity valve 13. Also, between the terminals 42a and 42b are provided, in parallel with the above serial connections, a serial connection of a parallel connection of the relay switch R.sub.1 and the start switch 21, a fixed quantity switch 43 of the fixed quantity signal emitter of the signal emission part 22, the switch X.sub.1, and the exciting coil R. Other relay circuits 40', 40" and related circuits are also provided in the same arrangement as the above circuits.

An operation of the apparatus of the described construction will now be illustrated.

Before operation, the relay switch R.sub.2 is opened and the electromagnetic solenoid 23 is in state of nonoperation. The fixed quantity valve 13 is closed. Similarly, other fixed quantity valves 13' and 13" are also closed. In case fuel of kind A in 4 kl. and fuel of kind B in 3 kl. are to be supplied in the tank 16 of the tank lorry 15, a driver or an operator of the lorry 15 will receive at an office two sheets of identification cards which include a card 30a having a code of fuel kind A and a code of a quantity 4 kl. and a card 30b having a code of fuel kind B and a code of a quantity 3 kl. When the fuel supply is to be started the driver will insert two cards 30a, 30b consecutively in insertion slot 19 and pull them out of the card reader 18.

When the card 30a is inserted in the slot 19, the code of fuel quantity 4 kl. which has been read by the reader part 31a is applied in the AND-circuits 33c, 33c' and 33c" of the fuel kind discriminating circuits 32, 32' and 32". The code of the fuel kind A is applied in the AND-circuits 33a-33d of the discriminating circuit 32. Consequently, that only the AND-circuit 33c is simultaneously applied two inputs to produce an output and the code of 4 kl. drives the flip-flop circuit 35c of the system of the fuel kind A and the code of 4 kl. is memoried in the circuit 35c after the card 30a has been taken out of the card reader 18.

After the card 30a has been taken out of the card reader 18 the card 30b may be inserted in the slot 19, whereby the code of fuel quantity 3 kl. read by the reader part 31a is applied in the AND-circuits (33a, 33b), (33a', 33b'), and (33a", 33b") of the discriminating circuits 32, 32', and 32". The code of fuel kind B read by the reader part 31b is applied in the AND-circuits 33a'-33d' of the discriminating circuit 32'. Therefore, only the AND-circuits (33a', 33b') are respectively applied two inputs to produce a respective output. The code of fuel quantity 3 kl. drives the flip-flop circuits 35a' and 35b' of the system of fuel kind B and the output is stored in the circuits 35a' and 35b' after the card 30b has been taken out of the card reader 18.

After the cards 30a and 30b have been read, the driver inserts the loading arm 14 of the fuel-supplying system of the fuel kind A into a hatch of the tank 16 of the tank lorry 15 and the loading arm 14' of the fuel-supplying system of the fuel kind B into other hatch of the tank 16. The driver then will depress switches corresponding to the fuel-supplying systems of the fuel kinds A, B out of the start switch 21.

As the start switch 21 corresponding to the fuel kind A is closed by the depression the exciting coil R is closed to the power source through the closed switch 21 and the normally closed switches 43, X.sub.1 and excited to close the switches R.sub.1, R.sub.2. By closing of the switch R.sub.1 the exciting coil R is self-held and by closing of the switch R.sub.2 the electromagnetic solenoid 23 is closed to the power source and excited to open the fixed quantity valve 13. Similarly, by closing of the start switch corresponding to the fuel kind B the electromagnetic solenoid 23' is excited to open the fixed quantity valve 13'.

Thus, after opening of the fixed quantity valve 13 the fuel of the kind A in the reservoir is supplied in a chamber of the tank 16 of the tank lorry 15 consecutively through the pipe 10, the pump 11, the flowmeter 12, the fixed quantity valve 13 and the loading arm 14. There are then emitted flow quantity pulse signals from the flow quantity emitter 22a of the signal emission part 22 of the flowmeter 12 corresponding to the quantity of the fuel supplied in every instant, which signals are decimally counted by the counter circuit 37 and the conversion circuit 38 and thereafter is fed to the comparator 39. When the quantity of fuel flowing through the flowmeter 12 reaches the amount for example 1 kl. as previously set in the fixed quantity signal emitter of the flowmeter 12, the fixed quantity switch 43 is opened for an instant. By opening of the switch 43 the exciting coil R is released from self-holding and the electromagnetic solenoid 23 is deenergized so that the fixed quantity valve 13 is closed. Usually the tank 16 in the tank lorry 15 is partitioned in a plural number of chambers each having a capacity of 1 kl. or 2 kl. According to the embodiment as the capacity of each partitioned chamber is settled to 1 kl., the fixed quantity of the fixed quantity signal emitter may be set at 1 kl.

After the fixed quantity valve 13 has been closed by supply of fuel in the amount of 1 kl. the loading arm 14 may be put into another hatch of chamber and the start switch 21 again will be closed. In the same manner the fixed quantity valve 13 will open to resume the fuel supply. If the fuel supply of 1 kl. is ended the valve 13 will close automatically. The supply for kind A fuel in 4 kl. in total is finished by successive repeating of transferring of the loading arm 14, fuel supply, and automatic valve closing.

By the fuel supply as above described, the flow quantity signals are sent to the comparator 39 which issues an interlocking signal when the value of 4 kl. which has been stored in the memory circuit 34 and fed to the comparator 39 through the conversion circuit 36 coincides with the value of 4 kl. supplied to the circuit 39 from the circuit 38. By the interlocking signal from the circuit 39 the relay circuit 40 is actuated to open the switch X.sub.1 and thereby interlocking the fuel-supplying system. After the supply of predetermined quantity of 4 kl., since the switch X.sub.1 is opened, it is not probable that the exciting coil R is excited and the fixed quantity valve 13 opens even though the start switch 21 might be closed erroneously or intentionally. The switch X.sub.1 is closed and returns to its former state when the reset signal from the terminal 41 is applied in the circuits 34 and 37.

The fuel supply operation of the fuel-supplying system for B kind fuel is quite same as that of A kind fuel, in which after the fuel supply of 3 kl. the relay circuit 40' is actuated to interlock the fixed quantity valve 13' in a closed condition.

A printer may preferably be used which prints the quantity and kind of fuel, numbers of lorry or operator codes, etc. on the cards.

According to the apparatus of the embodiment a plurality of fuel-supplying systems can be simultaneously operated after insertion of a corresponding number of cards in sequence in one card reader to memorize the codes of fuel kind and fuel quantity. And after supply of a predetermined quantity the fuel supply is automatically stopped.

An embodiment of a card reader erroneous operation preventing circuit will now be illustrated which may be provided in the card reader 18 with reference to FIG. 5. Usually the conventional card reader has a disadvantage that in the course of insertion or taking out the card into or out of the card reader the metal bits arranged on the card will passover the detection parts such as the code-reading element, code-reading circuit, etc. in the card reader whereupon said reading parts would make an erroneous reading and decoding and the erred codes are input in the memory circuit. In other cases where one card is put in or out repeatedly, results of decoding at each time of putting in or out are invariably input in the memory circuit thereby causing an erroneous operation.

The possibility of such error is eliminated in the embodiment of this invention. In the embodiment, a card reader part 31 having the slot 19 for the insertion of the card 30 has a card insertion confirmation part 50 at the innermost part thereof. The confirmation part 50 employs for operation a microswitch being pushed by the forward end of the card 30 or a detection means cooperating with a metal bit provided near at the forward end of the card 30.

A gate circuit 51 is provided consisting of AND-circuits 52a-52n of the number corresponding to that of the reading part in the card reader part 31. The reset signal from the terminal 41 is sent to a bistable multivibrator 53 and the memory circuit 38. The multivibrator 53 is being in cutoff state by the reset signal from the terminal 41 and in conductive state by the card insertion signal from the card insertion confirmation part 50 so as to send the setting signal. A monostable multivibrator 54 receives the setting signal from the multivibrator 53 and sends a pulse wave for a certain short time. An exciting coil 55 forming a relay with a normally closed relay contact 56 is excited and opens the contact 56 when the coil 55 receives the pulse from the multivibrator 54. The AND-circuits 52a-52n are opened only when the contact 56 is opened.

In the circuit of the construction as above described, where the card 30 is not yet inserted into the card reader 31, the memory circuit 38 is reset by the reset signal from the terminal 41 and the contact 56 is closed and the gate circuit 51 is closed.

Whereupon the card reader part 31 is fully inserted with the card 30 there are operated only the reading parts corresponding to the codes that the card 30 has out of number of reading parts in the card reader part 31 and decode the codes of said card, the signal of which is then sent to the gate circuit 51. At the same time the card insertion confirmation part 50 confirms the complete insertion of the card 30 and sends the card insertion signal to the bistable multivibrator 53. Being in conductance by said signal the multivibrator 53 emits a setting signal and the subsequent monostable multivibrator 54 receives the setting signal and emits a pulse wave having a narrow pulse width. The exciting coil 55 is excited by said pulse and opens the contact 56. With the contact 56 being opened, the AND-circuits 52a-52n are opened and the code of the card 30 is stored in the memory circuit 38 during the opening intervals of the AND circuits. The normally closed contact 56 opens only for a relatively short period of time equivalent to the pulse width of the pulse emitted by the multivibrator 54 and thereafter it closes again so that the gate circuit 51 opens only in a short open period of the contact 56 to make memory in the memory circuit 38.

Although the card 30 is moved after the memory has been made in the memory circuit 38 and the code number signal decoded by error by the card reader 31 such as other than the normal code number of the card 30, the gate circuit 51 is closed thereto and such erred code number will not be stored in the memory circuit 38. Even when the card 30 is inserted in the card reader part 31 the gate circuit 51 will not open unless the card insertion confirmation part 50 operates. Similarly, the memory circuit 38 is not stored the erred code number. Should the card 30 be repeatedly put in or out intentionally or carelessly after the card is inserted, the card insertion confirmation part 50 will operate in the number of times of putting in or out of the card but the bistable multivibrator 53 will not emit a setting signal unless it receives a reset signal from the terminal 41 so that the erred code will not stored in the memory circuit 38.

There may be used a noncontact-type relay circuit utilizing a switching operation of the semiconductor in place of the contact relay circuit having the exciting coil 55 and the contact 56.

In the above-described system general liquid may be applied to the apparatus in substituting for the above fuel or oil.

Claims

What we claim is:

1. A liquid-supplying apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid reservoirs respectively having different sorts of liquid in storage, liquid-supplying conduit pipes arranged respectively for different liquid-supplying systems extending from respective liquid reservoirs to predetermined positions, means for delivering the liquid respectively provided in the liquid-supplying pipes, flowmeters provided respectively in the liquid-supplying pipes, open-close valves provided respectively in the liquid-supplying pipes, a single card reader having a single card insertion opening, liquid sort discriminating circuits for transmitting a liquid quantity read by the card reader to a circuit system corresponding to the liquid sort read by the card reader, memory circuits provided in each of said systems to memory the liquid quantity transmitted through the discriminating circuits, and a means for closing the open-close valves upon coincidence of flow quantity signals from the flowmeters and liquid quantity signals memoried in the memory circuit, said card reader cooperating in sequence with a plurality of cards incorporating the liquid sort code and the liquid quantity code and having reader parts for reading each code of said card.

2. A liquid-supplying apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said card reader has a liquid sort reader part and a liquid quantity reader part cooperating with a card inserted from the single card insertion opening.

3. A liquid-supplying apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said flowmeter has a fixed quantity signal emission part emitting a fixed quantity signal for each predetermined quantity of liquid and said valve closing means further has a means for closing said open-close valve temporarily by a signal from said fixed quantity signal emission part.

4. A liquid-supplying apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for closing the open-close valves comprises a comparator circuit comparing the flow quantity signal and the liquid supply signal and producing an output upon coincidence of said two signals, and means for interlocking and holding the valve opening means of the open-close valve in nonoperable condition by the output of the comparator circuit, said holding means being reset by a reset signal to return to its previous condition.

5. A liquid-supplying apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein aid card reader includes an erronous-operation-prevention circuit which comprises a card insertion confirmation means to operate when the card is inserted to a predetermined position in the card reader, a gate circuit provided between the reading means of said card reader and the memory circuit, means for actuating only when a signal from the confirmation means enters in a reset condition and generating a pulse signal of a relatively short time period, and means for opening said gate circuit only during a period of said pulse signal supplied from said pulse generating means, said memory circuit storing the signal supplied from said card reader only during the opening period of said gate circuit.

6. A liquid-supplying apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid reservoirs respectively having different sorts of liquid in storage, liquid-supplying conduit pipes arranged respectively for different liquid-supplying systems extending from respective liquid reservoirs to predetermined positions, means for delivering the liquid respectively provided in the pipes, flowmeters provided respectively in the liquid-supplying pipes, open-close valves respectively provided in the liquid-supplying pipes, a single card reader having a single card insertion opening, liquid sort discriminating circuits having AND Circuits for transmitting a liquid quantity read by the card reader to a circuit system corresponding to the liquid sort read by the card reader, memory circuits having flip-flop circuits in each of said systems to memory the supply liquid quantity transmitted through the discriminating circuits, circuits for counting the flow quantity signals from said flowmeters, circuits for binary-to-decimal conversion of signals from the memory circuits and the counting circuits, comparator circuits for comparing the signals from said each conversion circuit to produce outputs upon coincidence of said respective two signals, a means for closing the open-close valves by outputs of the comparator circuits, said card reader cooperating in sequence with a plurality of cards respectively incorporating the liquid sort code and the liquid quantity code and having a liquid sort reader part and a liquid quantity reader part cooperating with a card inserted from the single card insertion opening.