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A modular multi-port manifold and fuel delivery system includes a plurality of ports in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to the ports, a control valve associated with each port to control flow of the fuel product from the asso

A modular multi-port manifold and fuel delivery system includes a plurality of ports in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to the ports, a control valve associated with each port to control flow of the fuel product from the associated compartment to the collector conduit to deliver the product, and a control system for operating each of the control valves.

대표청구항 ▼

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 1. A manifold for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, said manifold comprising: structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid commu

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 1. A manifold for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, said manifold comprising: structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to said ports, a plurality of control valves, each of which is associated with a corresponding port, and each having an open operational condition communicating the corresponding port with said conduit to permit flow of product from the associated compartment to deliver the product, and a normally closed operational condition precluding product flow, and a control system responsive to operator selection for operating each of said control valves independently, said control system including a logic controller responsive to selection of a desired product for opening a corresponding control valve and permitting delivery of said desired product exclusively from the associated compartment, and precluding delivery of products from the other of said compartments. 2. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ports of said structure are spaced-apart and connected by said collector conduit. 3. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein said collector conduit includes a plurality of pipe sections, each of said pipe sections extending between a pair of adjacent ports and presenting a continuous pipe. 4. The manifold as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least one of said plurality of pipe sections is transparent. 5. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of control valves includes a visual position indicator to indicate the operational condition of the corresponding control valve. 6. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an operator interface connected with said control system and adapted to be mounted to said fuel delivery vehicle remote from said control system for providing operator input to said control system. 7. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control system permits dispensing of the same product from separate tank compartments in the collector conduit simultaneously during delivery of said desired product. 8. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control system permits mixing of similar products from separate tank compartments in the collector conduit sequentially during delivery of said desired product. 9. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control system prevents mixing of dissimilar products from separate tank compartments in said collector conduit during delivery of said desired product. 10. The manifold as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second collector conduit common to each of said ports. 11. A fuel delivery system for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle comprising: a manifold including structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fluid delivery vehicle, a plurality of bottom loading valves secured to said structure in fluid communication with corresponding ports of said structure, a collector conduit common to said ports, a plurality of control valves, each of which is associated with a corresponding port, and each having an open condition communicating the corresponding port with said conduit to permit flow of product from the associated compartment to deliver the product, and a normally closed condition precluding product flow, a guard bar pivotally secured to said structure and having a locked position preventing access to and operation of said bottom loading valves, and an open position permitting access to and operation of said bottom loading valves, and a control system responsive to operator selection for operating each of said control valves individually to open a selected control valve and permit delivery of a desired product exclusively from the corresponding compartment. 12. The fuel delivery system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a operator releasable catch to retain said guard bar in said locked position. 13. The fuel delivery system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a locking element responsive to said control system, said locking element having an extended position engaging said guard bar and locking said guard bar in said locked position, and a retracted position permitting said guard bar to be moved to said open position. 14. The fuel delivery system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a first locking magnet secured to said structure and a second locking magnet secured to said guard bar, said first magnet aligned with and engaging said second magnet when said guard bar is in said locked position to maintain a space between said guard bar and said locking element and to reduce stress on said locking element. 15. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said ports of said structure are spaced-apart and connected by said collector conduit. 16. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said collector conduit includes a plurality of pipe sections, each of said pipe sections extending between a pair of adjacent ports and presenting a continuous pipe. 17. The manifold as set forth in claim 16 wherein at least one of said plurality of pipe sections is transparent. 18. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said plurality of control valves includes a visual position indicator to indicate the operational condition of the corresponding control valve. 19. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said collector conduit includes a generally wedge-shaped collector plug to aid in draining the collector conduit of product. 20. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 further comprising an operator interface connected with said control system and adapted to be mounted to said fuel delivery vehicle remote from said control system for providing operator input to said control system. 21. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control system permits dispensing of the same product from separate tank compartments in the collector conduit simultaneously during delivery of said desired product. 22. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control system permits mixing of similar products from separate tank compartments in the collector conduit sequentially during delivery of said desired product. 23. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control system prevents mixing of dissimilar products from separate tank compartments in said collector conduit during delivery of said desired product. 24. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a plurality of product grade indicators associated with respective compartments, said product grade indicators electrically connected to said control system to provide input to said control system to identify the product in each of the corresponding compartments. 25. The manifold as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes an indicator movable between at least two positions and an encoder responsive to said indicator for identifying each of said positions to said control system. 26. The manifold as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes a display and a selector for causing the display to identify the product in the associated compartment and to identify said product to said control system. 27. The manifold as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes an indicator rotatable between at least two positions, one or more magnets mounted to said indicator and one or more magnetically actuated switches aligned with a corresponding magnet and responsive to rotation of said indicator between said at least two positions for identifying said position to said control system. 28. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a second collector conduit common to each of said ports. 29. The manifold as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a product delivery hose having a first end connected with said collector conduit and a free end, and a plurality of return spouts associated with respective ports, each of said return spouts being adapted to receive said free end of said delivery hose to provide a means to return product remaining in said product delivery hose to the compartment corresponding to the delivered product. 30. The manifold as set forth in claim 29 further comprising a return spout bar pivotally secured to said structure, said return spout bar having a closed position for preventing access to said return spouts and an open position for permitting access to said return spouts. 31. The manifold as set forth in claim 30 further comprising a valve switch responsive to said return spout bar and providing a closed signal indicating that said return spout bar is in said closed position, and an open signal indicating that said return spout bar is in said open position. 32. In combination with the manifold as set forth in claim 31, a product delivery meter for registering the quantity of product delivered, and wherein said control system is responsive to said open signal from said valve switch to disable said product delivery meter. 33. The manifold as set forth in claim 29 wherein each of said return spouts includes a sight glass. 34. A manifold for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, said manifold comprising: structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to said ports, a plurality of control valves, each of which is associated with a corresponding port, and each having an open operational condition communicating the corresponding port with said conduit to permit flow of product from the associated compartment to deliver the product, and a normally closed operational condition precluding product flow, a control system responsive to operator selection for operating each of said valves individually to open a selected control valve and permit delivery of a desired product exclusively from the corresponding compartment, and a plurality of product grade indicators associated with respective compartments, each of said product grade indicators electrically connected to said control system to provide input to said control system to identify the product in the corresponding compartment. 35. The manifold as set forth in claim 34 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes an indicator movable between at least two positions and an encoder responsive to said indicator for identifying each of said positions to said control system. 36. The manifold as set forth in claim 34 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes a display and a selector for causing the display to identify the product in the associated compartment and to identify said product to said control system. 37. The manifold as set forth in claim 34 wherein each of said product grade indicators includes an indicator rotatable between at least two positions, one or more magnets mounted to said indicator and one or more magnetically actuated switches aligned with a corresponding magnet and responsive to rotation of said indicator between said at least two positions for identifying said position to said control system. 38. A manifold for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, said manifold comprising: structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to said ports, a plurality of control valves, each of which is associated with a corresponding port, and each having an open operational condition communicating the corresponding port with said conduit to permit flow of product from the associated compartment to deliver the product, and a normally closed operational condition precluding product flow, a product delivery hose having a first end connected with said collector conduit and a free end, and a plurality of return spouts associated with respective ports, each of said return spouts being adapted to receive said free end of said delivery hose to provide a means to return product remaining in said product delivery hose to the compartment corresponding to the delivered product, and a control system responsive to operator selection for operating each of said valves individually to open a selected valve and permit delivery of a desired product exclusively from the corresponding compartment. 39. The manifold as set forth in claim 38 further comprising a return spout bar pivotally secured to said structure, said return spout bar having a closed position for preventing access to said return spouts and an open position for permitting access to said return spouts. 40. The manifold as set forth in claim 39 further comprising a valve switch responsive to said return spout bar arm and providing a closed signal indicating that said return spout bar is in said closed position, and an open signal indicating that said return spout bar is in said open position. 41. In combination with the manifold as set forth in claim 40, a product delivery meter for registering the quantity of product delivered, and wherein said control system is responsive to said open signal from said valve switch to disable said product delivery meter. 42. The manifold as set forth in claim 38 wherein each of said return spouts includes a sight glass. 43. A manifold for use with a plurality of tank compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, said manifold comprising: structure having a plurality of ports adapted to be in fluid communication with corresponding compartments of a fuel delivery vehicle, a collector conduit common to said ports and including a generally wedge-shaped collector plug to aid in draining the collector conduit of product, a plurality of control valves, each of which is associated with a corresponding port, and each having an open operational condition communicating the corresponding port with said conduit to permit flow of product from the associated compartment to deliver the product, and a normally closed operational condition precluding product flow, and a control system responsive to operator selection for operating each of said valves individually to open a selected valve and permit delivery of a desired product exclusively from the corresponding compartment.