Abstract: A fuel dispenser having a filter status sensor includes a fuel delivery path for delivering fuel from a station storage tank to a vehicle; a fuel filter in the delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in the delivery path; a flow monitor in the delivery path for measuring fuel flow in the delivery path; and a controller associated with the flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate taken during a first cycle with a second flow rate taken during a second cycle. The controller provides a filter status signal when the first and second flow rates differ by more than a predetermined difference indicative of an unclean fuel filter.

Abstract: A printed paper dispensing and severing apparatus includes an elongated paper to be printed, dispensed and severed. A printer including a positive drive mechanism projects paper along a guide path to an exit chute in a housing, the guide path being defined at least in part by a deflection plate so that the projection of the paper will encounter the deflection plate and be guided to exit the housing. A cutting mechanism adjacent the guide path includes a blade with a centrally peaked ridge in a guide surface generally parallel to the guide path. The reliability of this mechanism is dramatically improved due the absence of moving parts in the guide path, cutter blade, deflection plate and exit chute. The guide path and the exit chute are angled to one another, the elongated paper is provided in the form of a roll of paper which gives the paper a curl and the curl of the paper is in the same sense as the angle.

Abstract: A gasoline dispenser system includes a housing with a first enclosure providing a safe area for mounting electrical apparatus, a second enclosure providing a hazaradous area for mounting fuel carrying apparatus, an air gap vapor barrier separating the first and second enclosures, at least one bifurcated electromechanical valve for controlling gasoline flow, having a solenoid winding mounted within the first enclosure, and a valve body mounted within the second enclosure, with a control rod connected from the solenoid winding, through the air gap, to a plunger or control device within the valve body, and with an elastomeric seal about the control rod for secondary sealing where it enters the second enclosure, for substantially preventing gasoline fumes from escaping from the second enclosure into the air gap.

Abstract: A positive displacement meter for measuring the volume of liquid dispensed over a given period of time includes at least one pair of pistons moving in counter opposition to one another within a pair of cylinders, an acoustical transducer located through a side wall of one of the cylinders, for transmitting and receiving acoustical pulses along a folded acoustical pathway, a first portion of which is transverse to the face of the piston, and a second portion of which is parallel to the axis of movement of the piston, via a wedge-shaped reflector mounted on the inside wall of the cylinder directly opposite from the acoustical transducer for so reflecting transmitted and reflected acoustical waves between the transducer and face of the piston under measurement, whereby changes in the position of the piston are detected over successive measuring periods for determining each full stroke thereof, representative of a given amount of fluid or liquid being dispensed from the meter, which volume portions are accumulate

Abstract: A system for blending low and high octane gasoline includes independent flow paths for each fuel between a supply source and a composite blend manifold and nozzle assembly, with the rate of flow of fuel in each flow path being under individual closed loop control, under an algorithm for comparing the ratio of the actual accumulated volumes of the low octane to the high octane fuel, relative to a statistically determined ratio of the ideal volume of said low to high octane fuel for the total actual accumulated volume of the sum of the volumes of the fuels at a given time, for providing a perfect blend relative to a preselected blend ratio.

Abstract: A fluid flow control valve includes a valve body including a side wall, an inlet port through a portion of the side wall, a top, a bottom, a discharge port centrally located in the bottom, and an interior chamber; a piston slideably mounted within the interior chamber, the piston having one end overlappingly opposing the concentric with the discharge port, the one end having a centrally located recessed portion; a sealing member removably secured to, located within, the concentric with the recessed portion of the one end of the piston for providing a fluid tight seal between the piston and a valve seat about the circumference of the discharge port whenever the piston is positioned for closure of the valve; a throttle rigidly attached to and concentric with a portion of the sealing member, the upper portion of the throttle proximate the piston being cylindrical and having an outside diameter approaching the inside diameter of the discharge port, the lower portion of the throttle including a plurality of scallo

Abstract: Linear sensing apparatus for a positive displacement meter includes relative to each piston of the meter, an elongated rectangular member rigidly attached at one end to the top face of its associated piston, and carrying at its other end a multiwindowed member that reciprocates back and forth with movement of the piston for alternately interrupting detectable energy flowing between energy transmitting and detecting devices, the detecting device converting the detected energy into alternating electrical signals analogous to the volume of fluid passed through the meter, whereafter the signals are processed via a microprocessor for obtaining the actual volume and/or price of the fluid passed through the meter over a given period of time.

Abstract: A mechanism for providing fixed attachment points along an extended cylindrical object, such as a cable, utilized helically counterwound straps terminated in loops to form a common gripping junction. In order to forestall slippage heat shrinkable tubes are applied over the crisscrossed straps.